India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Syed Akhruddin said at a Security Council debate on the UN American Assistance mission in Afghanistan that it was sheer folly that the new Taliban leader, Moulavi Habibullah Akhundzada had not been designated as a terrorist individual. India wanted sanctions to be slapped on this person. It supported New Zealand on the issue. Akhundzada had become the leader of the Taliban after Mullah Akhtar Mansur was killed in a US drone attack. However, US State Department spokesperson Mark Toner has said that Akhundzada was not on any kind of terrorist list. Syed Akhruddin, the Indian envoy said that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people of Afghanistan and to its government cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghan territory. Previously India had condemned the UN Sanctions Committee for taking a selective approach as on the Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar.
All this seems strange against the background of twelve Nepalese people killed in a Taliban attack in Kabul. They were security guards at the Canadian High Commission. India has offered whatever assistance it can to Nepal. Afghanistan has accused elements within the state structure of Pakistan of helping most terrorist groups active in the region. Akhtar Mansood, the previous Taliban leader, had a Pakistani passport. In this context, US passivity on the sanctions issue seems intriguing. Talks with the Taliban for peace is no longer a realistic idea.