Reports claiming Jaishankar met Taliban leaders 'fake and baseless': Sources

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has not met any Taliban leader as claimed by some media reports, sources said here on Tuesday.

As per the reports which are circulating in social media, Dr Jaishankar had met Taliban leaders Mullah Baradar, Khairullah, Sheikh Dilawar and have assured that future relations with India will not be governed by Pakistan's will.

“We have seen some reports on social media which claim that the External Affairs Minister has met some Taliban leaders. Such reports are completely untrue, baseless and mischievous," the sources said.

Dr Jaishankar had visited Doha on June 9 and June 15 where he had met with the Qatari Foreign Minister and the National Security Advisor, as well as US Special Representative on Afghanistan reconciliation.

The fast pace developments are taking place against the backdrop of the US President Joe Biden announcing the withdrawal of American troops from the war-torn Afghanistan on September 11, almost 20 years after it attacked the country to eliminate militant organisation Al Qaeda and overthrow Taliban.

The Taliban, which has rejected to recognise the democratically elected Afghanistan government is becoming stronger day-by-day by attacking the Afghanistan forces and now rules over many districts of the country.

The Indian government has so far not recognised the Taliban.

Taliban’s main office is located in Doha since 2013. The Qatar government has organised Intra Afghan Dialogue or Afghan-Taliban talks in September last year which was attended by an Indian delegation led by MEA’s Joint Secretary for Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan J P Singh. (UNI)