Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to remain tense. The condition has directly and indirectly affected the smooth running of the process to enter a peace deal with Taliban leadership. The game of blame-and-counter-blame goes on between the two countries and with that, positive thoughts about cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan on resolving the Afghan war through negotiation with Taliban is gradually dying.
Between November-February, Afghanistan seemed quite satisfied with the cooperation from Pakistani government in pushing peace talks with Taliban. During this period a delegation from High Peace Council (HPC) paid visit to Islamabad and soon after that around two dozen Taliban prisoners were released by Pakistani government.
Among these prisoners were ailing former Afghan justice minister Nooruddin Turabi, former Helmand governor Abdul Bari, Allahdad Tabib and Azam Kakoo. Pakistanis high authorities assured that they would do what they can to nudge the Taliban into talks.
Optimism grew so high that even in Afghanistan-Pakistan-Britain trilateral summit hosted by British PM, David Cameron in February, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said they would work together to reach peace deal for Afghanistan in six months. Although such a thing seemed far from reality even at that time, as time passed, it has become clearer that until and unless both the countries can build a strong mutual trust, inconsistent efforts for cooperation will not work.
Since March, Afghan-Pak relations have been getting bitter. Pakistani authorities deem President Karzai as the greatest hurdle to peace talks with Taliban. Pakistan government has halted freeing Taliban prisoners. The process of releasing prisoners was suspended after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of sabotaging the fragile peace process.
A conference of Pak-Afghan clerics was due to be held in the first week of March. That did not happen as Pakistani side emphasized on participation of Taliban in the conference and said no anti-Taliban statement will be favored to be issued at the end of the conference. Instead of supporting the effort to issue an anti-suicide attack fitwa (religious decree), Allama Ashraf Tahiri, head of Pakistan Ulama Council came with anti-Afghanistan statement.
Afghanistan reacted as well. In response to accusations by Pakistan authorities, it said it would continue the peace process without any support from Pakistani side. “Pakistan’s concept of the peace process is one that will reverse the achievement of the last 10 years that will negate the centrality of the Afghan state,” Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin said on 27 March.
Such a tension between two close neighbors is in neither side’s benefit. Countering the current challenges facing Afghanistan and Pakistan requires coordinated effort and stronger relationship based on mutual respect and trust. Only with such a condition, peace in Afghanistan would be possible to come through political means and a peaceful Afghanistan is greatly in the benefit of Pakistan.