India holds first talks with Taliban, raises issues of safe evacuation and terrorism

Indian envoy to Qatar Deepak Mittal on Tuesday met Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai in Doha, first high-level contact between the two sides on a day the United States completed withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan. The Ministry of External Affairs said Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern at the meeting that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner.

Ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Head of Taliban’s Political Office in Doha. Discussions focused on safety, security & early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan: Ministry of External Affairs pic.twitter.com/BH6nQqayZm

— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2021

It said the discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan as well as the travel of Afghan nationals wishing to come to India. The MEA said the Taliban leader assured Mittal that these issues would be positively addressed. “Today, Ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Head of Taliban’s Political Office in Doha,” the MEA said in a release. It said the meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, on the request of the Taliban side. “Discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit to India also came up,” the MEA said. “Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner,” it added. With inputs from PTI