Former Jihadi leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has criticized the United States for patrolling Afghanistan’s airspace with drones.

Hekmatyar said in a speech Tuesday that any form of American presence in Afghanistan is unacceptable.

“Afghanistan’s airspace is under occupation. Expressing this issue is our religious responsibility. We have sacrificed the most for freedom. We do not accept any presence of America. We do not accept any kind of foreign rule,” he said.

Hekmatyar also stated that there is a possibility of American troops entering the country again.

“[Former] President Trump’s national security advisor says that their departure was a mistake and that they should return. This is not an ordinary issue. The possibility that they will make a mistake again and return to Afghanistan is very strong,” he said.

The Islamic Emirate has not commented so far on Hekmatyar’s remarks, but it has confirmed sightings of drones over Afghanistan.

“It is required that the respected officials of the caretaker government give explanations on this matter and respond to the concerns of the Afghan people in this matter, because important and great national issues are important for every Afghan citizen and if there is a problem, it will be a cause of concern for everyone,” said Fazl-ul-Hadi Wazin, a university lecturer.

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Monday met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for talks on a number of issues including the Trans-Afghan Railway project.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade issues, strengthening of relations and regional matters, including the escalating situation in the Middle East.

In October 2023, Uzbekistan Railways JSC presented the Trans-Afghan Railway project to Qatar’s Ministry of Transport.

Subsequently, deliberations were held on Qatar’s involvement in the project’s execution.

In February 2021, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a roadmap for the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction.

The envisioned transport corridor, estimated at approximately $5 billion, aims to connect Europe, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asian nations, boasting a transit capacity of up to 20 million tons of cargo.

Afghan migrants were reportedly warned by Balochistan officials, in Pakistan, on Monday to voluntarily leave the country by Tuesday, March 16.

Local media reports state this applies to all Afghans in the province, even documented refugees.

Afghans in Balochistan said on Monday that police told them they would be forcibly evicted if they had not vacated their villages by 8am on Tuesday.

Islamabad was expected to start the second phase of forced deportations of Afghan refugees on Monday, April 15.

Officials said this applies to about 850,000 Afghans – many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades.

The Afghan caretaker government and UN agencies estimate that more than half a million people have been deported from Pakistan or voluntarily returned to Afghanistan in less than six months.