Pak objects to former Canadian minister's remark highlighting its Taliban ties

Pakistan has objected to remarks made by former Canadian minister Chris Alexander, highlighting the South Asian country's support to the Taliban in the ongoing Afghan conflict.

Alexander on Sunday highlighted the Taliban's engagement with Pakistan in the ongoing Afghan conflict.

"Taliban fighters waiting to cross the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan... anyone still denying that Pakistan is engaged in an 'act of aggression' against Afghanistan is complicit in proxy war and war crimes," Alexander tweeted on Saturday.

Reacting to former Canadian minister's remark Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) tweeted, "We strongly condemn the unwarranted comments by former Canadian minister Chris Alexander, making unfounded and misleading assertions about...Pakistan's role in #AfghanPeaceProcess. Such remarks betray a complete lack of understanding of the issue as well as ignorance of facts on ground."

Pakistan said that it had taken up the matter with the government of Canada following the Canadian minister's remarks.

Taliban have intensified their offensive as the foreign troops are withdrawing from the war-torn country. Over the last few weeks, they captured several districts in northern Afghanistan.

Prior to this, Alexander had called Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan "an utter fraud: a shameless liar of no ability and a charlatan who has been among the Taliban's most mindless, kneejerk boosters for decades."

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's first Vice President Amrullah Sale backed comments made by the former Canadian minister and added that Alexander speaks for tens of millions of Afghans.

"Minstr @calxandr speaks for tens of millions of Afghans, hundreds of thousands of silent western veterans who aren't adequately represented in diplomacy & public arena & more importantly there are souls that are strong & resilient enough against manipulation. Salute to @calxandr," Afghan first VP tweeted.

( With inputs from ANI )