Pakistan involved in harbouring Taliban: Blinken

US secretary of state Antony Blinken has blamed Pakistan for Taliban rise. Pakistan has a "multiplicity of interests", including some that are in "clear conflict" with that of the United States. He said that the Pakistan has "harboured" members of the Taliban, including terrorists from the proscribed Haqqani Network, and needs to "line up" with a broad majority of the international community regarding Afghanistan, While testifying before Congress on the Taliban victory in Afghanistan, Blinken on Monday said that India's involvement in Afghanistan has influenced some "detrimental" actions by Pakistan.

"Pakistan needs to line up with a broad majority of the international community in working toward those ends and in upholding those expectations," Blinken said. Pakistan has had deep ties with the Taliban and has been accused of supporting the group overtly and covertly. Those charges have been denied by Islamabad. US lawmaker Bill Keating during the testimony reminded Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remarks after the Taliban seized control. "Prime Minister Khan claimed Afghanistan had broken the shackles of slavery. He said that Pakistan's ISI had such strong ties in cooperation with the Haqqani Network, "responsible for so many things including the deaths of some of our soldiers, and even recently when the Taliban took over in the last month".