US senators seek probe into Pakistan's role in Taliban’s Afghan victory

Islamabad

In a bill tabled in the US Senate, lawmakers are demanding an in-depth investigation into the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan. The leaders also want sanctions against the group and those who assisted them in the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani-led Afghanistan government. The Pakistan government has been allegedly supporting the Taliban for several years.    

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The 'Afghanistan Counterterrorism, Oversight, and Accountability Act' also looks to form a task force, which will focus on continued evacuation of US citizens, legal permanent residents and special immigrant visa holders from Afghanistan.  

The bill has been introduced by 22 American Republican senators. It also seeks to tackle issues related to the Afghan withdrawal like counterterrorism strategies and sanctioning the Taliban for alleged human rights abuses in the country.  

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The bill reads, "Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on entities providing support to the Taliban."  

The bill adds that further assessment of "support by state and non-state actors, including the Government of Pakistan, for the Taliban between 2001 and 2020, provision of sanctuary space, financial support, intelligence support, logistics and medical support, training, equipping, and tactical, operational, or strategic direction" should be made.   

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It also wants to do the same for Taliban offensive, which helped it takeover Afghanistan by deposing government led by Ashraf Ghani in 2021.  

The bill requires the state department to provide a quarterly briefing and submit an annual report detailing lessons learned by the task force.   

Lashing out at US legislators for tabling the bill, Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari tweeted that the country is again paying a heavy price for being an ally of US in its "War on Terror".  

(With inputs from agencies)