AfPak — the need to face up to realities

Afghan, Pakistan govts need to come out of their comfort zones, address core issues that resulted in misunderstanding

The recent mayhem at the Afghan National Army base and the consequent series of blasts in Kabul in the first week of August resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians. These inhumane occurrences indicate that there are still factions within the Afghan Taliban that cannot be subjugated and are not ready to talk peace. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who made peace talks a key component of his government’s policy, offered Pakistan an exceptional opportunity to work out a peaceful arrangement. There is a view now in Afghanistan that such an opportunity might not come again, as Ghani’s perceived failure will discourage other Afghan leaders to make such an offer to Pakistan again.

In light of the terror attacks in Kabul, one could sense a shift in Kabul’s policy towards Pakistan when President Ghani, addressing a press conference, stated that the government of Pakistan should have the same definition of terrorism in regard to Afghanistan as it has for its own country. The president concluded that the Afghan government has made its position clear to Pakistani officials and now Pakistan’s decisions in the coming weeks will determine the status of the relations between the two countries.

In order to address these issues and future affairs, a high-level delegation visited Pakistan and shared a dossier in relation to the incident with the Pakistani authorities. There were reports of candid and heated discussions amongst officials from both sides, with each blaming the other for providing sanctuaries to anti-government elements.

After the first round of peace talks in Murree in July 2015, the people of Afghanistan were optimistic about peace and reconciliation. The Afghan government was preparing itself for the second round of discussions with the Taliban leadership in Pakistan about a potential ceasefire. However, things were not as rubicund as presumed. The news of the death of Mullah Omar and its confirmation by the international media, including the White House, changed the whole scenario. There was chaos amongst the Afghan Taliban ranks as a struggle to attain the leadership of the group started. There have been reports regarding a series of meetings of the Taliban shura held to select the right legatee and Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was declared the new Amir, though many factions disagreed with his appointment. The attacks in Kabul further complicated matters as the Afghan government became cynical about Pakistan’s commitment towards the peace process.

Meanwhile, most people involved in the peace process were left wondering about the timing of the announcement of Mullah Omar’s death at this particular juncture, when relations between the two neighbours were finally easing. According to my naive understanding, there are many forces within the National Unity Government of Afghanistan, as well as in the establishment in Pakistan, and other regional forces that do not want a meaningful end to the current Afghan turmoil. The governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan need to come out of their comfort zones, address the core issues that have resulted in serious misunderstandings and identify the opportunities and challenges faced by each nation. Opportunities need to be translated into achievable goals and challenges need to be addressed in ways that end up connecting people, instead of further fostering hatred between them.

The people of Afghanistan and Pakistan are suffering from the menace of terrorism, especially in the Pakhtun-belts on both sides. The region needs committed leaders to come out and identify the existing potentials and connect the local people for a better future. There will always be challenges and hardships initially, but as the famous proverb goes, ‘The worse the passage, the more welcome the port’.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th,  2015.

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