Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

The Troublesome Relation with Neighbor

The reported month-long rocket firings from neighboring country have added another challenge to the already existing ones. There are reports that during current and last month even missiles were fired to eastern provinces of Afghanistan, but the Kabul government still has remained silent and, seemingly, is not willing to answer tit for tat. Lower house of the Parliament previously summoned interior, defense ministers as well as other concerned officials in order to figure out the cause of inactiveness of Afghan government. But MP's remained inconvenient with the answers of Ministers, and were telling that Kabul government must have been more sensitive to border issue.

According to domestic reports, as result of such firings, several people have lost their live and more than hundred people were forced to leave their houses. Domestic Private TV channels have been constantly televising photos and videos of the affected areas and interviewing civilians who are reported to have lost their family members in the incidents. Afghan civilians have reacted to incidents and held demonstration in various provinces, which have been zoomed in Pakistani Medias and Press.

In diplomatic sphere, Kabul government has tried much to make Pakistan stop firing which, otherwise, would deteriorate the already troublesome security situation as well as affect the shaky bilateral relation between two countries. President Karzai previously held the issue directly with Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari, but, ostensibly, Afghan authorities report no change in number of firings as well as in its intensity.

Firings from neighboring country and diplomatic efforts of Kabul government have not come to an end. Recently, a delegation left for Islamabad to talk over the issue, but results were not visibly important. What Islamabad officials tell is that they know nothing about such heavy firings. They are claiming firings were not made by Pakistani military, but, in reverse, allege that insurgents have crossed border and attacked Pakistani civilians. Meanwhile, neither Al-Qaeda nor Taliban militants, of both Pakistan and Afghanistan, claimed the responsibility of attacks. In another word, for any attacks, Taliban-led militants always jump to the forefront and claim the responsibility, even if the attack was actually operated by them. If they were behind missile firings, does not it look ridiculous that they just keep silent and do not brag for their strength?

The situation has really turned fragile as there are a lot of ambiguities involved. It is now the responsibility of both the countries to probe into the matter appropriately and with complete honesty, as both the countries are suffering because of the many security problems which they can only solve through proper co-operation.