Afghan diaspora has planned a protest in front of the Pakistan embassy in Washington D.C. against Islamabad for supporting the Taliban which is rapidly making gains in Afghanistan. The protesters will call on Pakistan, which has long been accused of covertly assisting the Islamist fundamentalist group, to stop the “proxy war” in Afghanistan. The protest will be held from 1-3pm on August 14.
#Stop Proxy War in Afghanistan,” reads a poster calling on people to demonstrate against Pakistan’s alleged involvement in a surge in violence in the war-torn country.
Similar demonstrations were held across the globe last month where protesters highlighted the activities of terror outfits in Pakistan. In Germany, the Afghan diaspora gathered in front of Brandenburg Gate to protest against “Pakistan’s intervention in affairs of Afghanistan.”
Meanwhile, many on social media have started a massive campaign against Pakistan’s alleged meddling in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. ‘#SanctionPakistan’ was a top trend on all social media platforms in Afghanistan for three days in a row, according to a prominent Afghan journalist Habib Khan who called on the international community to listen to the request of civilians.
Social media hashtags including “SanctionPakistan”, “Stop Proxy War”, and “Stop Supporting” terrorist groups were trending in Afghanistan as the Taliban has intensified its offensive against security forces as well as the civilian population. Pakistan has repeatedly denied the claims, calling it a malicious campaign to malign its image.
“Attempts are underway to blame Pakistan for Afghanistan’s failures. As the Taliban offensive is increasing, there are campaigns to shift its blame on Pakistan,” Pakistan National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf told a press conference on Wednesday.
Thousands of civilians have been displaced due to the Taliban’s offensive and many of them have taken refuge in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city. According to a UN estimate, more than 3 lakh Afghans have been displaced internally while around 40,000 people have been fleeing to neighbouring Iran every week.