‘Ashraf Ghani was misled on Afghanistan’
The Taliban’s fledgling government in Afghanistan is under threat, believes the brother of the war-torn nation’s ousted president. “They will not stand for even six months,” warns Hashmat Ghani. “They will not stand at all if they fail address to poverty and inequality, and are unable bring northern leaders to the negotiation table. [In that situation] ISKP (Islamic State in Khorasan Province) will pose a serious threat to Afghanistan’s stability.”
In an exclusive interaction with The Express Tribune, the brother of Ashraf Ghani advised the Taliban regime to appoint the ‘right people at the right positions’. “Stability lies with Taliban’s future strategy. If they don’t appoint the right people, they will face tougher resistance than their predecessors did.”
Built on bad foundations
Hashmat, at the same time, lashed out at the United States for laying a bad foundation at the Bonn Conference by appointing warlords and Hamid Karzai at the helm of Afghanistan’s affairs. “Karzai was a source for Iran and the US at the same time. Most members of his cabinet were allied with one country or another, and sharing internal information with their patrons constantly,” he claimed.
Afghanistan’s parliament during Karzai’s tenure very soon found itself under the influence of the US ambassador in Kabul, Hashmat said. “The Indian envoy too directed Afghan legislators to push for sanctions against Pakistan.” Asked about proxy wars in Afghanistan, Hashmat accused India of playing the ‘dirtiest’. “If they [New Delhi] invested a dollar in Afghanistan, the damage they caused to stability in the region would amount to more than a hundred dollars.”
India’s destabilisation game
He admitted that India successfully shifted the world and Pakistan’s attentions from the Kashmir issue, and drained Pakistan’s economy by engaging them on Afghan soil. “India effectively took Afghanistan hostage. It pushed the country to a point where it could not go with Pakistan in any case.”
On other nations playing proxy war in the war torn country, Hashmat pointed to Iran. “They were not overtly active in the first 13 to 14 years following the US takeover, but had a more direct influence in the Afghan parliament,” he said. "Iran safeguarded its interests in Afghanistan by cultivating a few people in the government. Their main focal person was ex-president Karzai, who Iran paid directly – this is something security agencies and leaked documents have confirmed.”
Ashraf Ghani’s plans
According to his brother, Ashraf Ghani had no intention to engage in Afghanistan’s politics directly. “However, he would render any service to ensure regional and Afghan stability,” Hashmat said. He added that in closed-door meetings, Ashraf Ghani had expressed intentions to announce a team of Afghan intellectuals who could play a tangible role in the betterment of the country. “But this would not be a political role.”
Lamenting the blame game around Afghanistan, Hashmat admitted that Ashraf Ghani did not know the situation on the ground in the country. “Those around Ashraf Ghani peddled fake information. He tried to bring young blood in to help him run Afghanistan’s affairs, but they turned out to be more corrupt than the warlords,” he said.
Allegations against Ashraf Ghani
Ashraf Ghani’s brother said the rumours that the former president had left the country with stolen cash from Afghanistan were cooked up by an ‘NGO run by the US State Department. “It is not possible to transport $169 million in crowded helicopters. Such an amount could fill up to three or four 40-feet containers. How could he take that when there wasn’t even space for all of his team members on the helicopters,” he insisted. According to Hashmat, a malicious NGO leaked the rumours via fabricated documents to the Russian state media.
“The three helicopters were thoroughly searched by Tajikistan’s military. Two dozen people disembarked at UAE and were searched again. If the story was true, why were there no images or videos of the stolen cash?”
‘An eye on China, Russia’
According to Ashraf Ghani’s brother, the US had wanted to keep a hold of Bagram Air Base, as it was designed to keep an eye on China and Russia. “Inevitable security issues forced US personnel to vacate it and leave it for the Taliban,” he said. He appreciated the Taliban’s approach to security, saying “the US spent billions while the Taliban performed the same role for minimum cost.”
Hashmat also lashed out at the role of Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation. “Following the Doha talks, Khalilzad tried to hand over the country to warlords in exchange for the prime minister or president’s office for himself. But the Taliban decided to bypass the Doha agreement.” He claimed the US special envoy had always tried to make up for his own failings at the expense of Afghanistan and its people. “Khalilzad would always try to position himself to secure the helm but he was told to back off by the US each time.”
Hashmat also accused the wife of Ashraf Ghani’s presidential aide Hamdullah Mohib of being an ‘agent for the CIA’. “She leaked scores of sensitive information to the Americans and their Nato allies,” he claimed.
Ahmed Massoud and northern resistance
Speaking about the role of Ahmad Massoud, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, in the conflict resolution process and bring the North to the negotiation table, Hashmat was all praise. “He is a young person from the North with no criminal or corruption charges. He accepted that he was manipulated by some of his ex-colleagues, Amrullah Saleh, Dr Abdullah Abdullah and his own uncle Zia Massoud. He has admitted that hated to see him at the helm of affairs.”
According to Hashmat, those who ‘deceived’ Ahmad Massoud believed they would be finished if he or even Ashraf Ghani defused violence by agreeing a treaty with the Taliban. “That is why they sabotaged the peace process,” he said. “Ahmad Massoud accepted the proposed peace agreement but Saleh started destructive activities. Zia Massoud also played dirty. Both of them and Abdullah Abdullah knew they would lose the game of resistance against the Taliban in the near future.”
Hashmat rejected the notion that former warlords could pose a threat any time soon. “They have connections still, like they did back during the Soviet invasion. On the ground though, they have lost men and supporters. The Taliban controls the ground and the resources for now.” He added that the Taliban have Kabul in their thrall and have limited the movement of Karzai and Abdullah. “Their meetings are pre-approved and take place under the Taliban’s watch.” He admitted that both leaders could pose a threat if allowed to move freely or travel abroad. “They could generate men and resources for resistance.”
The ISKP threat
According to Hashmat, ISKP would pose a serious threat to Afghanistan if the Taliban did not restrict themselves to security, intelligence and defence while allowing technocrats to do what they can do best. “ISKP is paying $200 to foot soldiers and $700 to commanders. In a nation whose economy is crippled, starvation will force people into such lucrative opportunities,” he said.
Key areas of ISKP presence right now are Afghanistan’s border provinces with Pakistan such as Nuristan, Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost, Paktika and Paktia. “If the Taliban targets these areas in cleanup operations, it could ensure peace in a year or so. If not, these could be destabilising for the whole country.”
The future for Pakistan and Afghanistan
Afghanistan stability’s and the success of the Taliban government are interconnected with the relationship with Pakistan, said Hashmat. “If Islamabad opens routes or designates a trade area with Afghanistan, the country’ rural economy would get a major boost. Otherwise all the urban and rural population of Afghanistan would start moving to Pakistan,” he said.
“Three thousand people enter Pakistan via Chaman everyday, 2,000 to 3,000 via Torkham and a few hundred through the Ghulam Khan and Angor Adda entry points,” Hashmat noted. He urged Pakistan to allow more trade with Afghanistan to help the running of the war-torn country’s institutions. “We have requested the extending of a railway trade line with Afghanistan with special terminals at the Peshawar and Islamabad airports. Such efforts would allow Afghan citizens to stay in their own country,” he said.
Hashmat also urged the Gulf states, Iran, Turkey and Russia to open their markets to Afghanistan to prevent destabilisation that could threaten the entire region.