Afghan rulers in the dock

When will Hamid Karzai be held accountable?

Afghanistan has been a theater of war for the last 35 years. In 1979, the then Soviet Union invaded the country. After withdrawal of the forces of the former Soviet Union in 1989, Afghanistan passed through a civil war until 1994. Since then, the Taliban ruled the country until toppled by the US in 2001. Ever since, the Taliban have been resisting US intervention.

The biggest loss the country suffered due to the unending war appears to be a failure of the people of Afghanistan to establish popular political parties. Similarly, all institutions of the country were destroyed and the country became dependent on foreign aid for its very survival.

Due to the longstanding conflicts, Afghanistan was not able to erect an organised military force to guard its borders; neither could it maintain a functional police force. The former Soviet Union had destroyed the country, but no one threw her the question as to what will the Afghans do after the withdrawal? Who will be the one to compensate for the public and private properties, which the former Soviet forces bombarded for a full decade?

After the withdrawal, the Afghan warlords locked into a civil war, while no one was designated with the task of reconstruct the country. Who is responsible for providing the Afghans with the amenities for education, health and employment?

Ironically, the said warlords are still ruling the country, but instead of working for the rehabilitation of the war-torn country, they are still locked in a cold war in a quest for more power in the present administration.

The civil war had resulted in the emergence of the Taliban. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE recognised the Taliban as the legitimate rulers; however, the Afghans could have no access to basic human needs and facilities during their rule. A new phase of the conflict commenced with the launch of the US-led war on terror. Hamid Karzai was elevated to the office of president in Kabul. The US and its allies directed billions of dollars to the Karzai administration for the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country. Hamid Karzai remained in power for ten years. India was also pouring millions in aid to the Karzai administration.

However, no one has asked Karzai to explain whether he was able to develop an educational institute, a hospital, a clean drinking water project, a scheme for electricity generation, transport system or a system for the registration of Afghan nationals to satisfy the people of Afghanistan and foreign donors that their money was spend on public welfare projects. Karzai could not even organise the election commission, which was to be instrumental in Afghanistan’s democratic future. The present election commission was not even able to hold the presidential election in the event that foreign allies were not there to help and assist.

Karzai has been hurling accusations against Pakistan to divert attention from the corruption he and his family committed during his long rule. Is there any person, or an institution, or a foreign donor to hold the Karzai accountable?

The US spent more than 105 billion dollars during its 14-year long presence in Afghanistan. During this period, the US and its allies focused on reforms in the Afghan national army and Afghan police, to enable training to take place on modern lines so that they could effectively counter terrorists. The US and its allies provided aid of over $7 billion a year to Afghanistan, but without any accountability. These sums are visible in records, but not on the ground.

In September, 2015, the Afghan Taliban invaded Qunduz and overran the province in a few days. The Afghan national army and the police could offer no resistance. The governor of the province fled for his life, no matter how near and dear he was to the incumbent President Dr Ashraf Ghani. After Qunduz, the Taliban also launched similar offensives in other provinces including Badakhshan, Helmand and Farah. The question here is that whether it was the responsibility of the US to hold former president Karzai, warlord Rasheed Dostam, present Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah and President Ghani accountable. The US must enquire as to why the Afghan rulers could not prepare their army to resist the Taliban even after over a $105 billion were spent.

Today, there is no effective police system in Afghanistan. The Taliban attack and capture whichever province they choose. In this scenario, the Afghans must also raise their voice against their corrupt rulers and demand their accountability. The Afghan rulers cannot blame their neighbours for every incident of bloodshed. Afghan people must ask their rulers as to why they have been wandering in the world as refugees for the last 35 years. Why have the Afghan rulers failed to make arrangements for the repatriation of 3 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan? They should also hold the Karzai and Ghani administrations accountable for the billions of dollars of aid money provided by foreign donors for the people of Afghanistan. They should ask why their lives and properties are still not safe even after such huge expenditures in the past 14 years. Both the people of Afghanistan and their rulers should realise these bitter realities and try not to conceal their corruption and ill practices by blaming their neighbours. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2016.

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