ISLAMABAD:
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is scheduled to visit Pakistan in the next two months to hold follow-up talks on a proposed strategic partnership agreement between the two uneasy neighbours, Afghan sources told The Express Tribune.
President Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart had agreed in their meeting in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in late September, to finalise a strategic partnership agreement by 2013 to strengthen bilateral relations.
President Karzai was previously scheduled to visit Islamabad for a quadrilateral summit of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Tajikistan from October 2 to October 3. But the summit was postponed after Russian President Vladimir Putin postponed his trip.
“Now a proposal has been floated that President Karzai visit Pakistan this year,” an Afghan source told The Express Tribune. Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasoul will visit Islamabad ahead of Karzai’s trip to discuss bilateral matters, including the proposed strategic partnership agreement, sources said.
He will also discuss the agenda of Karzai’s meetings. There will also be a review on the progress made on the issue of providing a safe passage to the reconciled Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.
Sources added that the Afghan government would present a draft of the proposed strategic partnership agreement during President Karzai’s visit and the Pakistani government was likely to prepare its own draft.
Afghan High Peace Council Chairman Salauddin Rabbani will also accompany President Karzai.
President Karzai said on Thursday that the bilateral pact would be signed if certain conditions were met, including stopping the “export of terrorism, suicide bombers, interference in internal affairs and causing the destabilisation of Afghanistan.”
Divided opinion
Afghanistan’s opposition parties and civil society have expressed mixed feelings towards the proposed deal.
The National Coalition of Afghanistan, led by former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, has strongly opposed the agreement.
“How is it possible to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with Pakistan, when it is currently engaged in military, political and intelligence warfare against us,” Fazel Rahman Oria, an NCA member, told Tolo TV in a recent interview.
An Afghan newspaper said the pact could facilitate peace.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2012.
COMMENTS (11)
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@Prof Lakhte H Zaidi
"Pakistan and Afghanistan for more than a millennium are two real brothers. How sad, the imperial powers of the past and present were/are successful in dividing the siblings and the bigoted religious mullahs are providing oxygen to the artificial divisions. Ignorance, illiteracy and practically absence of education opportunities to the masses in both countries more so in Afghanistan are keeping mullah in control"
Afghanistan and India for more than a millennium are two real brothers, not Pakistan. We are not siblings, the Pashtuns in both countries are kindred spirits and that is the extent of our filial relationship.
I take special offense to your comment about ignorance, illiteracy and the influence of mullahs in Afghanistan. Deobandi and Barelvi institutions are located in Pakistan not Afghanistan and the literacy rate in both countries in direct proportion to their populations is pretty much equal.
Prior to the Mujaheddin period mullahs were relegated to three duties in Afghanistan: Nikkah, circumcision ceremonies and funeral ceremonies, that was the extent of mullahs influence in Afghan society but in Pakistan they were kingmakers from the very inception of Pakistan.
You need to understand that Afghans have good sense and that is why they side with India and not Pakistan. Afghans have affinity towards India but not towards Pakistan and Iran and that is the bitter truth that both Pakistan and Iran have to come to terms with.
Your comment about Afghans escaping the harsh winters of Afghanistan is false because we went to Jalalabad during winters not Pakistan. Pakistanis visited Afghanistan in droves to party, shop and watch Indian movies in Kabul.
Pakistan is the puppet of US and China and you have the gall to call Afghanistan a puppet of India. People in glass houses should not throw stones.
The best strategy for Pakistan is to stay neutral and let the other world powers to solve Afghan issue and at the same time give different world economic powers incentives in Pakistan so that they can establish their industrial units in Pakistan. Pakistan has lot of potentials and if some government loses this chance then we will face lot of difficulties. Afghanistan has a long history of tribal warfare and they will blame Pakistan for their failure, so stay neutral and let the world work for peace, when world will fail then we play our role.
@Khan of Jandul
You should do same then we can talk.
For the longest while, Afghanistan has been a willing puppet of India but whenever the Afghanis need something, they come to Pakistan. Moreover they always blame all their problems on Pakistan when they are the sole cause of all their miseries. Only recently, Leon Panetta the US Defense Secretary took issue with Karzai's nonsensical talk about going after " safe havens" in Pakistan's tribal regions. It's time to fence and close the border along Afghanistan and Pakistan just like the US is fencing the border with Mexico. Just like the US is trying to keep out illegal Mexicans, Pakistan has the right to keep out illegal Afghanis from entering.
Settle for kabul water rights. Afghans must pay customs at karachi in order to curb smuggling at rate used in Pak. This duty can be tfr to Kabul after deducting service fee. Sort out return issue as billions USD were spent on infrastructure dev if not on corruption
Pakistan and Afghanistan for more than a millennium are two real brothers. How sad, the imperial powers of the past and present were/are successful in dividing the siblings and the bigoted religious mullahs are providing oxygen to the artificial divisions. Ignorance, illiteracy and practically absence of education opportunities to the masses in both countries more so in Afghanistan are keeping mullah in control.
Ever since I was a child I remember from Afghanistan harsh winter Pakistan towns and cities used to be saturated with people from Afghanistan. Yet never discomfort was expressed by any one.
I as a Pakistani British citizen feels extreme discomfort and distress that for personal gains, how Afghanistan Authorities can play in hands of India to destabilise Pakistan. After the departure of US and NATO I sincerely hope that Afghanistan Gov't gets its sense and stop being puppet of India. After all, Pakistan can't afford to have India in its western front too.
If narrow minded Karzai and its corrupt colleagues fails to take the seriousness of matters (Pakistan concerns) on board, Pakistan MUST deny all assistance to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan and Pakistan must sign this pact as Kabul has already struck such deals with other countries. It will enable both to discuss and resolve disputes.
Strategic partnership is not possible, until Pakistan gives up its policy of strategic depth and stop supporting and nurturing extremist elements for use in Afghanistan. If Pakistan is willing to cede ground on these two issues, then no one can stop cordial relations between the two countries.
The common man of both Afghanistan and Pakistan are brothers, relatives and friends. It's only the strategic depth and the mullahs, that are the main cause of problem between the two nations. These agreements will never work unless there is a change in the attitude of the policy makers.
Neighbours will remain, aliens will leave. It is an opportunity to settle down issues. Strategic Partnership is a best option