The turn and twist with Pakistan is on a downward spiral nowadays. Both sides have exchanged accusations and the Government is expressing it’s frustration in very clear words, for the first time since the Zardari-Kayani Kabul visit.

President Karzai made a call to British Prime Minister David Cameron asking for mediation and pressure on Islamabad regarding the peace process. With the latest statements from Foreign Ministry and Presidential Palace, it seems all those trilateral summits and bilateral shuttle visits to Islamabad have come to a point of utter failure and proved to be in vain.

Defense Ministry cancelled a trip of some ANA officials to Pakistan for a military excursive and drill in Quetta, in reaction to the shelling in Kunar, which Islamabad says was in response to infiltration from our side of the border; though it remains unclear whether it was insurgent infiltration or Afghan National Security Forces. On the other hand, the Inter-Services Intelligence in a report to Pakistan’s Supreme Court has accused that Afghanistan provide sanctuary, training and logistic support to Pakistani Taliban from Swat based in Kunar and Nuristan.

The Government in Kabul has reacted strongly, terming it a conspiracy against Afghanistan, and continuity of same 1990’s mentality on part of Pakistan’s security establishment.  Presidential Spokesman Aimal Faizi has said Islamabad “has abandoned the peace effort and imposed impossible preconditions on any further discussions that would encourage the Taliban to renounce militancy”. He added that “Islamabad had asked Kabul to cut all ties to India, send Afghan army officers to Pakistan for training and sign a strategic partnership.” He denied any possibility of a strategic partnership agreement with Pakistan, a demand from Islamabad in response to the support for peace efforts.

Deputy Foreign Minister Javed Lowdin has said Afghanistan will carry the peace efforts with Taliban alone, without Islamabad’s support.

This culmination was predicted long ago. The government circles were beating drums of excitement with their Roadmap to 2015 strategy drafts, but it seems all have come to the point zero. At the current state of affairs, the Karzai Administration cannot make leverage on Pakistan with international diplomatic pressure given the fact that no country wants to seriously engage now, after controversies with the US and other NATO countries in recent months. 

There are domestic objections to the so-called ‘peace process’ even within the Government. Vice presidents have expressed concerns about the “transparency” of the process. The Government is now in a dilemma without options. The road ahead is heading into further uncertainty about future.