By Hamza Ameer

Islamabad, Mar 22 (IANS): It seems that the lukewarm hospitality provided to Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during the extra-ordinary session on Afghanistan in Islamabad in December last year has not gone down too well, as the Afghan government has refrained from sending its foreign minister to represent the country at the 48th meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), being held in Islamabad from March 22-23.

The Afghan government is being represented by an official of the Afghan foreign ministry and not Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, showing signs of a clear resentment and stretch between the leaderships on both sides.

Muttaqi visited Pakistan during the extraordinary session of the OIC foreign ministers on Afghanistan held in Islamabad in December 2021.

The participation of Muttaqi stayed part of the debate among many quarters as Afghanistan's regime under the Taliban control is yet to get recognition from other countries.

It was also witnessed that Muttaqi was not present during the group picture. Moreover, the seat dedicated for the Afghan dignitary remained vacant as Muttaqi was seen sitting in the last two rows as a back bencher.

It is because of this that the Taliban seem to have decided to downgrade their participation in the OIC summit, and sent an official from the foreign ministry instead of the minister himself.

It is pertinent to mention here that none of the 57 members of OIC has till not recognised the Taliban regime.

However, global platforms like the United Nations have taken notice of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and have called for engaging with the Taliban regime to facilitate and help the country through humanitarian aid.

Pakistan has been accused of being the driving force behind the Taliban movement with many believing that the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan is a victory of Pakistan against NATO and the United States (US).

However, on ground, there is a clear rift between the two sides on issues related to the Durand Line and the use of Afghan soil by terror groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Daesh, Islamic State and the Baloch separatists.

In Afghanistan, many Taliban fighters see Pakistan as their next destination to conquer and impose the Islamic law as it in place in Afghanistan.