Reminder to Kabul

Pakistan's stance on terrorism from its western borders vindicated as regional powers call out Afghanistan at the UN.

Pakistan's stance that it is a victim of terrorism emanating from its western borders stood vindicated at the United Nations. The quadrilateral meeting of Pakistan, China, Russia and Iran held in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly castigated Kabul in unequivocal terms for failing to live up to the world's expectations of reining in terror elements. They also pointed out that several terrorist groups, including the TTP, Majid Brigade and BLA, are operating from the strife-torn country. Likewise, the three major entities of the region also debunked the Afghan Taliban's claims that it was not harbouring any terrorist group.

A glance at the spike in terror incidents inside Pakistan since Taliban 2.0 took over power in Kabul confirms that there has been a blanket freedom to venture across the borders. This has not only furthered terrorism in the region, but has adversely impacted national cohesion in Pakistan. Mega-development projects like CPEC and other investment initiatives are a victim of backlash from non-state actors who have made Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan the theatre of revulsion and instability. While Islamabad preferred to address the fissures by drawing Kabul's attention towards it, it has been an enigma that pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Moreover, the Afghan Taliban's adamant attitude and their denial mode has, to a great extent, ruptured bilateralism.

The troika member states, in consensus with Pakistan, have rightly reprimanded Afghanistan and stressed upon comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and that too from the prism of regional oneness. Institutionalising a framework in counter-terrorism and sharing of intelligence is a must, and that can only go ahead if Afghanistan stops looking from the jaundiced lens of sympathy for the militias holed up inside its territory. Kabul must see to it that these groups had played havoc with Afghan civic peace for decades, and now with Taliban in power it is incumbent upon them to exterminate this gangrene in good-faith.