Taliban – According to The New York Times, the Taliban has warned Pakistan against any meddling and coupling the American–Afghanistan talks to the Kashmir developments. The Taliban states, "Linking the issue of Kashmir with that of Afghanistan by some parties will not aid in improving the crisis at hand because the issue of Afghanistan is not related nor should Afghanistan be turned into the theatre of competition between other countries."[265] The Taliban statement released by Zabiullah Mujahid for the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" also expressed "deep sadness in this [revocation of the autonomous status of Kashmir] regard and urges both India and Pakistan to refrain from taking steps that could pave a way for violence and complications in the region and usurp the rights of Kashmiris".[266]