Former Khost governor questions Taliban threats against Pakistan
Halim Fidai, the former governor of Khost under the republic system, has questioned the effectiveness of threats made by Taliban administration officials in response to rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying that responding to threats and aggression is not possible without relying on modern science and technology.
Writing on the social media platform X on Saturday, he said competition with the world, the fight against poverty and unemployment, and ensuring responsible and sustainable defence all depend on serious attention to contemporary knowledge and technology. According to him, ignoring modern science also casts doubt on defence capability.
Fidai wrote: “Aggression and threats cannot be answered with tails, prayers, slogans and curses. When new science and knowledge are considered unimportant, defence is also called into question.”
He also referred to the concept of “wa a’iddu lahum” and said it includes education, learning, technology, insight, wisdom, thought and broad patience. Fidai warned that abandoning these values and relying on slogans and pride could lead to “self-destruction and national ruin.”
The remarks come as tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have risen in recent days. The statement was published after Taliban administration officials spoke of retaliatory attacks against Pakistan following recent Pakistani air strikes on Afghan territory.
Khost is one of Afghanistan’s eastern provinces bordering Pakistan, and security developments along this border have always had a direct impact on local residents and on relations between the two sides.
