The thaw continues

There can now be little doubt that there really has been a sea-change in the nature of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. A line has been drawn under the fractious toxicity of the Karzai years, and although there are still areas of tension bilaterally, there is the basis for a productive working relationship. A comment by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, speaking at the end of his visit to Kabul set the tone, and a significant shift in both attitude and perception. He was commenting on the increase in violence that has accompanied the Afghan Taliban spring offensive and said, “Pakistan considers such attacks as acts of terrorism.” As position statements go that is about as emphatic as it gets. There is to be coordination between Afghan and Pakistani forces along the ever-leaky border, which will be bad news for both the Afghan and the Pakistan Taliban.

There is an acceptance that the two countries face a common enemy that seeks the overthrow of both states, and it makes good sense to join forces to fight the Taliban threat whatever its local brand-name may be. This new-found rapprochement will be much welcomed by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who is far from secure. His government is still ‘settling in’ and there are deep divisions within it, divisions unresolved by a power-sharing agreement cobbled together after the election that — eventually — brought him to power. The Taliban are still a powerful fighting force and active across much of Afghanistan, not only in their strongholds of the south and east. “The enemies of Afghanistan cannot be the friends of Pakistan,” said our prime minister, and if he really means that then the support that was sustained for jihadi elements by Pakistan during the time of the doctrine of ‘strategic depth’ has also had a line drawn under it. Peace talks with the Taliban in Doha stumble around in confusion and ultimately it has to be talks and not war. Unfortunately, the war has to be fought before the talks become meaningful.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th,  2015.

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