Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Tuesday, March 19th, 2024

Continuous Economic & Military Pressure on Pakistan Pivotal to Bring Lasting Peace in Afghanistan

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Continuous Economic & Military Pressure on Pakistan   Pivotal to Bring Lasting Peace in Afghanistan

Latest drop in value of Pakistani rupee to unprecedented level, which at present stands at Rs.162 to a US$, is indicative of the extent of stress Pakistani economy is suffering due to the international embargo on military and economic assistance to that country.  Despite numerous calls by US and NATO member countries to reign in her spree of activities in neighboring Afghanistan in support of terrorist groups and Taliban insurgents, aimed at weakening Afghan State and Government, Pakistan shamelessly continued military, financial and leadership support to these groups, resulting in killings and maiming of thousands of Afghan civilians, military and police personnel and members of international coalition forces every year. It is a pity to see Pakistani establishment turning blind eyes and deaf ears to unprecedented casualties due to their actions in Afghanistan, and to repeated calls by international community and regional powers to stop this blatant interference. These acts have also resulted in unprecedented miseries and suffering in Pakistan as well, including economic suffering, cut in military assistance and creation of social and political frictions between four provinces of Pakistan, the most serious of which include alienation of Pashoons and Baluchs. Pakistani military junta is in control of foreign policy of that fateful country, and civilian governments are established to play at the hands of military. Those leaders who resist military and their design are trapped in downward spirals with un-known future, just like the military has meted out to Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, the deposed leader of Pakistan Muslim League party. He had insisted on changes in Pakistan foreign policy and relaxation of the same from military grips. It seems Pakistani military establishments have not been able to learn from their mistakes of political events that led to their shameful defeats at the hands of Indian army and a breakup of the entire West Bengal province from Pakistani state in 1971. In addition, history of Afghanistan is indicative of one phenomenon: this country cannot be subjugated, defeated, made colony or annexed, major world powers have tested their metal with this aim in their mind, but were miserably failed and defeated. Pakistani military junta should have a realistic calculus at their hands before making any move to this direction. This fateful country is surviving out of the blessings of IMF and other donor countries, let alone numerous other issues that Pakistan is facing internally. There is no logic in pursuing a goal to subjugate Afghanistan as their ‘fifth province’. Afghans know how to sacrifice their lives for their motherland. Statistical figures, which are published every month, shows that hundreds of brave Afghan soldiers and police personnel die in battlefields and the number youths enrolling in army and police lines increases day in and day out. This is indicative of the love, patriotism and unity among Afghans, and this should be enough for Pakistani establishment to understand and change course while dealing with Afghanistan. A friendly and peaceful Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan in numerous ways, while the realization of a pity dream to subjugate and control Afghanistan can cause the entire State of Pakistan to disintegrate and plunge into chaos. Signs of this horrible demise are slowly appearing for Pakistan in the face of their continuous interference in Afghanistan.
There are misplaced assumptions within the leadership of Pakistani military junta that ‘international economic and military embargo on Pakistan should not adversely impact Taliban and other terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan’. As the Pakistani state has invested so much time and resources in religious madrassas to bring up and train soldiers, they seem to have entangled in ‘cost-sunk-bias’. In addition, Pakistani military junta has already endeavored to diversify support for Taliban insurgents, bringing in Russians, Uzbekistan, Qatar and Saudis in the foray to connect them with Taliban for direct contacts. They have been successful in this track as Russian, Uzbeks and Qataris have already invited Taliban for meetings on Afghanistan. Had these efforts been out of sheer goodwill and support for Afghan people and their country, they would have deserved standing ovations but alas, Pakistani state and military are in the midst of another ‘deciet and lies’. All logical reasoning and conclusions lead to a scenario for Pakistan to adopt Afghanistan-friendly policies, and that can bring prosperity and development not only for Pakistan and Afghanistan, but for the whole region.

Mohammed Gul Sahibbzada is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at mohammed.g.sahibbzada@gmail.com

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