President Hamid Karzai heading a large delegation, left for Qatar on Saturday to discuss bilateral relations with his hosts. The head of two states are intended to talk on the opening of a Qatari embassy in Kabul, as well as trade and business opportunities.
Aside to the aforementioned undertaking, it is learned that the peace process and the opening of a Taliban office for the purposes of conducting negotiations with the government shall remain on top agenda. The efforts are made to take afghan government on board, since it has extended his reservations over secret deals between US and Taliban.
The installation of sustainable peace in Afghanistan rests to persuasion of Taliban, joining the mainstream politics and turning them to power of ballot than of bullet. To pursue this objective the three stakeholders (Afghan government, Pakistan and US) try hard to lead the peace talks to earn sympathies of Taliban. However there are many allegations and counter allegations made by each player, reflecting the trust deficits between all the three partners.
An overall impression made to diffuse the conflicts as if a joint and coordinated effort is underway to sort out an agreed solution to the lingering security and stability of Afghanistan, has been surfaced. Factually stating, every partner strives keeping the steering with itself to further its interests.
The predicament is that the troubles aren’t figured out. The fact being, both Afghanistan and Pakistan suffer at the hands of common enemy of extremism and terrorism. Nevertheless, the problem has worsened – as each neighbor doubts the other giving save sanctuaries to the insurgents operating on opposite sides of borders against the later’s interests.
Formerly, Afghan Defense Ministry turned down a trip of some ANA senior officials to Pakistan for a military training 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. It undoubtedly, illustrates the lack of co-ordination and joint undertaking in the fight against terrorists, manipulating save heavens on the opposites sides of borders. It should be learned that friends can be changed but not neighbors – thus a genuine solution should be found to underlying issues than allegations.
It is a tested discourse that Afghanistan should lead the talks provided all the stake holders are taken on board while Pakistan and US should facilitate it by enriching the ground for a result oriented talks. A mutually agreed and consensual peace drive can be reached by tabulating a peace formula that conforms to the interests of Afghan people. Taliban’s complete disarmament and obedience to Afghan constitution and impartial political role in the forthcoming setup can help; bring stability in the nascent country, which is possible with cordial support of rest of two partners and international community.