ISLAMABAD — In a sharp and unsparing rebuke, presidential spokesperson Murtaza Solangi has dismissed recent remarks made by the Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, stating bluntly that representatives of an illegal, force-backed regime have zero moral or political right to lecture Pakistan on democracy and popular sovereignty.
Hypocrisy on Governance and Freedoms
Solangi’s remarks came in response to Muttaqi’s comments at a Moscow-format meeting, where the Taliban official accused Islamabad of favoring “force” over diplomacy.
Countering this narrative, Solangi highlighted that the Kabul administration systematically violated the Doha Agreement, trampled upon the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of Afghan women and girls, and perpetuated intense oppression against ethnic and religious minorities.
Power Through the Barrel of a Gun
The presidential spokesperson pointed out the deep contradictions inherent in the Taliban’s posturing, reminding regional stakeholders that the regime seized control through decades of deadly bombings, roadside IEDs, and suicide attacks.
Questioning the audacity of an unelected leadership, Solangi emphasized that a regime which came to power purely through the barrel of a gun has no grounds to critique a democratic nation whose foundations rest squarely on the national will of millions of citizens. Analysts note this robust pushback underscores Islamabad’s hardening stance against Kabul’s shifting blame and hypocritical diplomatic posturing.