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

Bond of People to People Contact Revitalized Af-Pak Relation

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Bond of People to People Contact Revitalized Af-Pak Relation

It is a thoughtful maxim, “friends may change, not neighbors”. Pakistan and Afghanistan are old neighbors. Nevertheless, their history records many ups and downs in mutual relations. The relations between the South Asian neighbors have been marked by decades of distrust and outbreak of fighting. One of fundamental reason behind is the common border between the two countries. On the other hand, Pakistan and Afghanistan share a fraternal relationship based on faith, kinship culture and history. The two countries have faced common challenges in the past and stood by each other in times of need. Over the past 3 decades, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees who had to leave Afghanistan due to conflict and instability. Currently, Pakistan hosts 1.6 million Afghan refugees; the number is the greatest to the other host countries.

Towards the end of term of former president Karzai a high degree of restrained relation was observed, nonetheless the incumbent president Ashraf Ghani has managed to reverse the relation to normal. Moreover, Pakistan holds an influential say over some faction of Taliban who can be brought to negotiating table.

Previously it was reported by credible media that Afghan government and the Taliban were preparing to hold face-to-face talks in the following days as a result of efforts by Pakistan and other stakeholders. The encouragements to initiate talks were received by US representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Daniel Feldman. Reportedly, the U.S would not be part of the upcoming talks, with exception of backing the fresh moves for the political solution, said the report. The report added that efforts were being made to arrange the talks in Kabul in an effort to show that the process is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. It is hastened to initiate talks before Taliban’s spring offensive begin, provided the first round talks focusing on ceasefire.

Following the successive developments, Afghan Taliban and the government are about to devise a roadmap to finalize peace talk. The Pakistani army and diplomatic officials in their former visit to Afghanistan had declared Afghan Taliban have signaled their willingness to initiate peace talks. According to report surfaced the venue is still undecided; preferably out of Islamabad, Kabul, Beijing or Dubai one might be chosen where talks could further.

There are vital developments witnessed echoing even in constitutional avenues of US and elsewhere. It should be to none surprise, US tempts not to call Taliban, terrorists now onward, given, formerly the White House issues statement, reiterating that the Taliban were not a terrorist outfit while Al Qaeda is. The distinction carved underlines; the US’s deep rooted global interests are endangered by later than former. Broadly speaking it seems to be a sub plan of another master plan where Taliban are given space to join back the political domain and disband militancy.

Seemingly, both Afghanistan and Pakistan have been cooperative neighbors, however the attitude displayed on various occasion diffuses this dictum, instead depicts a low level of confidence existing between the two. There might variant reasons, but one being is the state’s policy against tackling terrorism. The porous border, along the Durand line, has turned the bone of discontents between Afghanistan and Pakistan, hosting numerous terrorists. It is accepted that a large number of local and non-local terrorists seeks save havens across the park-Afghan border, where they run training camps and frequently plot terrorist activities against the either of aforesaid state. Seemingly both Pakistan and Afghanistan are the front states, fighting insurgency and terrorism, nonetheless, no bold measure, from either side is taken, in crushing the militant’s hideouts across the border. Consequently the terrorist easily undertake malicious acts and subsequently safely return back to their hideouts that seem to be inaccessible if not impossible for security institutions of the two countries.

It was an unending demand of the two countries to inflict heavy losses to insurgents and militants on the side its border. Pakistan started cleanup operation Zarbi Azab which is reportedly executed against all Taliban. With every passing day the operation get intensified pushing Taliban towards periphery; once again Afghanistan feels troubled with great inflow of militants from across the border. The same reservations unearthed by president Ghani during his stay in US, stating as a result of Pakistan's military operation in the tribal region of North Waziristan, more than 200,000 refugees have crossed the border into Afghanistan. Its fearing, the large sum of terrorists are dislocated from border region. Afghanistan for sure must exercise greater vigilance across the border areas to keep close watch over their movements.

It shouldn’t be unlearned the two countries share common border, common culture, common history, and common worsening issues of terrorism, extremism, poverty and illiteracy. The odds include relationship breakdown, trust deficits associated with leadership delayed consideration to literacy, peace, economic growth and normalized relationship given prior importance. Its rightful, the two government exercise good approach to fight their common enemy.

Terrorism and extremism, undoubtedly, a challenging menace to the two countries has added into the wrecked economies, inflicting worst effects on governance. It is time both countries look into long term sustainable relationship –information sharing mechanism, be developed and joint counter terrorism initiatives be taken so that none of the terrorists escape the reach of law. Any element or issue causing the breach of trust between the two countries must be led to negotiation. The insurgents seeking save havens across the borders must be crushed with full might. The ties should be developed based on trust, trade and tourism. The two countries having cultural and social ties must ease free trade and bridge relationship by encouraging people to contact.

Asmatyari is the permanent writer of Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at asmatyari@gmail.com

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