Distance escalates Pak-Afghan tensions

PESHAWAR:

Problems are escalating between Afghanistan and Pakistan due to a lack of coordination, mutual trust and understanding between people.

Although Pukhtuns from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the adjoining Federally Administered Tribal Areas are also living with those from Afghanistan in other countries like United Arab Emirates, they appear to be strangers.

A couple of days ago, during an informal discussion, a number of Pukhtuns — who are working to strengthen their motherland’s image by promoting relations with fellows from other countries — complained of receiving a negative response from Afghans. They confirmed that Pukhtuns not only find themselves in a crisis in their own country, but also in those where they are living with Afghan nationals.

Hostilities among locals

Malik Haider Bangash, a leading industrialist based in UAE, said, “We are not trusted as patriotic Pakistanis because we advocate cordial relations with Afghanistan, but [Afghans] do not keep silent when it comes to making negative remarks about Pakistan.”

Bangash cited a number of occasions when he along with other fellow Pukhtuns from the motherland had heated debates with their Afghani friends over negative remarks on Pakistan.

Bangash said there is no justification to accuse Pakistan and its people for all problems in Afghanistan and the issues Afghans are facing in Pakistan. However, he said those Pakistanis who fuel tensions and hostilities in Afghanistan are few in number, whereas a majority of Pakistanis wish for peace in Afghanistan.

Amin Wazir, a UAE-based transporter who belongs to North Waziristan Agency in Fata, echoed similar sentiments. Wazir said a series of injustices were committed against Pakistani transporters across the border, in Afghanistan. He spoke about an incident faced by a resident of Peshawar. He said the Peshawar resident started a business with his friend in Kabul after the fall of Taliban in Afghanistan. However, the Peshawar resident was implicated in a false crime by his Afghan partner after the business developed.

“Though the Pakistani national succeeded in getting out of the issue, he lost all his investments,” he said.

Nizar Ali Yousafzai, a journalist who is associated with a private television channel in Afghanistan, said hostile relations between rulers of neighbouring countries have impacted the public and also affected trade and business in the whole region.

He said a majority of Pakistanis have been advocating peace in Afghanistan. They are also against foreign interventions in the country. Like Afghans, Pakistanis are also unhappy over the violent acts of terror. But due to growing rifts between Islamabad and Kabul, they do not trust each other and view each other as foes, not friends.

Yousafzai belongs to Swabi and is working as a journalist in UAE since quite some time. In Pakistan, he is considered to be a nationalist Pukhtuns and faces immense criticism.

Interaction helps

For a long time, rulers from both Pakistan and Afghanistan have been talking about strengthening and promoting interaction, but they have yet to put their claims to practice.

It is time to combat the growing hostilities by strengthening interaction among people. In this respect, a delegation of representatives from different walks of life or professions must be exchanged, which could help resolve misunderstandings and differences.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2016.