The writer is Executive Editor of The Express Tribune
Afghanistan itself seems on the verge of hitting the panic button, with many of those who could, are reportedly planning to leave. Already, real estate prices in Quetta and Peshawar are said to be spiralling upwards. The same is said to be the case in Islamabad.
And in what can only be termed a sign of changing times, the outgoing Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, while speaking to The Sunday Times (January 27), sent shockwaves all around by roundly condemning what he said was the way the US had treated the Afghans and his government during last 12 years of occupation.
“They (the US) also began to badly undermine the growth of the Afghan government, the growth of our institutions, the police they did not pay attention to, rather they were paying all the money to private security firms…They didn’t work with me, they worked against me on these issues, the prison, the Bagram prison, so a whole lot of extremely important issues for us as Afghans, as a people, as a country; eventually I felt as if we didn’t matter to them, what mattered was themselves and their interests, so I had to stand up…”
This is undoubtedly a very harsh language to be used against those who have sacrificed in blood and treasure protect you from your archenemy and to sustain you in power through thick and thin.
But, perhaps, Karzai was actually addressing the Afghan voters as he spoke to The Sunday Times, trying to canvass for his candidate contesting the upcoming presidential elections. Perhaps, he was just trying to secure his future in a country where he had only a few friends and many enemies.
Here it is appropriate to recall President Obama’s answer to a question about his Afghan withdrawal schedule, while addressing a press conference after the concluding session of the 2012 Chicago Nato summit.
He said: “The gains are still fragile. (But) I don’t think there’s ever gonna be an optimal point where we say ‘this is all done, this is perfect, this is just the way we wanted it and now we can wrap up all our equipment and go home.’ This is a process, and it’s sometimes a messy process, just as it was in Iraq.
“But think about it: we’ve been there now 10 years. We are now committing to a transition process that takes place next year but the full transition to Afghan responsibility is almost two years away. And the Afghan security forces themselves will never be prepared if they don’t start taking that responsibility.
“And frankly, the large footprint we have in Afghanistan over time can be counterproductive. We’ve been there 10 years and I think no matter how much good we’re doing, and no matter how outstanding our troops and civilians and diplomats are doing on the ground, 10 years in a country that’s very different — that’s a strain. Not only on our folks but also on that country, which at a point is going to be very sensitive about sovereignty.
“So, I think the timetable we established is a sound one, a responsible one. Are there risks involved in it? Absolutely.”
Karzai has spoken. President Obama spoke even before Karzai did. Now it is time for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to spell out how he proposes to protect and promote Pakistan’s strategic interests post-2014.
It is not enough to say that we believe in Afghan-owned and Afghan-led solutions to its problems. We need to do something tangible about it. The most tangible thing that all the concerned parties, including Kabul, expect Pakistan to do is to secure the Durand Line.
Securing the border does not mean its complete closure, but a free flow of people across the border that is secured by check posts equipped to machine read travel documents on both sides in order to completely obviate the possibility of unwanted elements sneaking across with terrorist intentions.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (18)
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@RD Sultan: No, no, no Mr Sultan! Pakistanis call China as "Friend for Life". We Indians also kept shouting Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai under Nehru, but they stabbed us in the back. Pakistan has been generous about seceding land and sovereignty to China without corresponding tangible returns. but Pakistan has also (mis)used China wisely as a scarecrow to get more and more benefits from the US. But honestly speaking, only God knows this 'friend for life' is defined for whose life? Pakistan should be very weary and careful to avoid getting destroyed beyond recognition by the Chinese.
ET mod. please do not trash readers opinions @Agnostic:
Why do the comments of RD Sultan create so much emotions in your reply. To be a realistic indiviual you should be concerned with this scenario which is based on history. India is not the biggest shining democracy which you claim where millions are living in poverty and in slavery or bonded labour as the minister of labour calls it. Its laws are from the colonial days and no longer implementable, its traditions of the caste system and the Sati lives on. It is very likely to implode as soon as the new Bharata chief takes over who has the reputation to victimise muslim community. This act alone will trigger of the march of the Northerners and no military in the world will be in a position to stop them. Indian military defense plans with the USA and Japan against China could bring the 3rd ww closer than one thinks. We are watching the developments of two chinas and two koreans coming together against the last Japanese Samurai who allied with the USA!
Rex Minor
@Agnostic:
Why do the comments of RD Sultan create so much emotions in your reply. To be a realistic indiviual you should be concerned with this scenario which is based on history. India is not the biggest shining democracy which you claim where millions are living in poverty and in slavery or bonded labour as the minister of labour calls it. Its laws are from the colonial days and no longer implementable, its traditions of the caste system and the Sati lives on. It is very likely to implode as soon as the new Bharata chief takes over who has the reputation to victimise muslim community. This act alone will trigger of the march of the Northerners and no military in the world will be in a position to stop them. Indian military defense plans with the USA and Japan against China could bring the 3rd ww closer than one thinks. We are watching the developments of two chinas and two koreans coming together against the last Japanese Samurai who allied with the USA!
Rex Minor
@Sajid Khan:
Have you an idea where the so called Durand line is drawn? I will tell you Sir, in the Air, since Lord Durand was not allowed nor the British or the Pak army.
Rex Minor
It is not technologically or humanly possible to man the 1400 km long rugged pak-afghan border with your 'machine readable' equipped 'check posts'.
@Alamgir:
Pakistan should stop meddling in Afghanistan and told to get out of Baluchistan and FATA/KP.
@RD Sultan: I am really surprised that ET should be giving space to your vitriol. No paper in the world's biggest and shining democracy would allow that kind of comment against India. And whoever told you that Pakistan is a failing state. Please quote some authentic source instead of venting out your fantasies.
Dear Author please update your information and read the last Friday press briefing of Chuck Hagel about BSA, Drone bases & Afghan Army. Here is a reference. The briefing was meant to flag the new line-up at the Defence Department that Obama announced last week with Robert Work as the next deputy secretary of defense. But the Q&A session began wandering toward the topic of post-2014 Afghan scenario. The media persons drew Hagel’s attention to the ground reality that contrary to the apocalyptic vision the US commentators and officials in Washington have been disseminating for months to the effect that the US troops stand between deluge and stability in the Hindu Kush, the Afghan armed forces have been creditably performing so far (although NATO forces have already pulled out of the combat role.) Hagel reluctantly agreed. The media then began taunting him as to what purpose will be served by keeping US troops beyond 2014: “I wonder if you could explain to us, given all — how well the Afghans are doing, why does there have to be any troops, US troops in Afghanistan after 2014? Most Americans are against this. Why can’t all US troops just leave at the end of the year?” Good question. Hagel lamely began explaining that “it’s clearly in our [US] interest.” Then came a follow-up question: “What would happen to that country if — if there were no US troops going into 2015, do you think?” Hagel didn’t have an answer. That was when the question on drone base came up: “But would you consider, if you don’t have an option of a drone base in Pakistan, if you don’t have troops allowed to stay, you don’t have a BSA, would you consider basing drones in India, for instance?” [Emphasis added.] Hagel replied: “Well, we have to consider everything, as we are… you’re constantly updating and changing and looking at possibilities, strategic interests, where you posture those assets… where do you have allies that are willing to work with you, capacity-building of allies. You’re in a constant review process on all those things. And so if that would be the case, we — we would have to be — and we are looking at different options for everything.” Hagel was evasive. He didn’t mention India, nor did he rule out India. Suffice to say, the precise timing of the remarks made by the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice in Washington on Friday, giving much hype to the US-Indian partnership, is also to be noted.
India should be made to stop meddling in Afghanistan and told to get out of Kashmir.
I observe a deeply frustrated and angry group of people commenting here. What do they expect from state that according to their opinion is a failed state. What clear policy one expect from such a state? All these people should go back review their role in last 20 years.No amount of finger pointing is going to stop historic process in play.
Ask yourselves why Pakistan allows the Haqqani sanctuary inside Pakistan and then ask yourselves if that isn't an obvious sign that Pakistan has always had a strategy for Afghanistan
@RD Sultan: "Most invaders of modern-day Pakistan came through modern-day Afghanistan and the Afghans had an empire stretching from Afghanistan across modern-day Pakistan to within a few miles of Delhi." And you know even then Jats of Punjab were the ruler of that dynasty (Shahiyya) which you wishfully call Afghan empire.So may be there is an unconscious attempt to regain that lost empire how absurd though.
The best Nawaz Sharif can do is to round up the Afghan Taliban leadership and the murderous Haqqani's and hand them over to Kabul. Pakistan has no business sheltering these fugitives on its soil. That is the only gesture that can win some goodwill among the Afghan people.
You are hallucinating if you think Nawaz Sharif holds any semblance of a Pakistani strategic interest dear to heart.
Pakistan’s strategy in Afghanistan will inevitably result in an existentialist threat to itself and it is easy to see how this will come about. Most invaders of modern-day Pakistan came through modern-day Afghanistan and the Afghans had an empire stretching from Afghanistan across modern-day Pakistan to within a few miles of Delhi. History therefore makes it clear that Pakistan will become nothing more than another name for Greater Afghanistan.
ET Mods: Please grant approval to my comment and allow it to be posted.
With all respect, Pakistan is a failed state by every indicator. Even your neighbors in the region abhor you. The Indians and Arabs don't want you to set foot in their lands. The Iranians look at you with utmost scorn and when Pakistanis visit Afghanistan, they have to masquerade as Indians to avoid harrasment.
And the Chinese are just using you and when they find economic opportunities in India, they'll abandon you.
Just a shame because I'm sure they're some real smart Pakistanis that can make things better, if only given the opportunity.