The scenario of post-general elections of 2014 is witnessing a widely accepted and internationally recognized government that has been established in Afghanistan. Although the existing ethnic groups of Afghanistan are now the real stakeholders in the governance of country including taking the responsibility for early repatriation and rehabilitation of all those ARs who are still languishing in Pakistan, however, the Afghan refugees’ issue is still a point of great concern for everyone and especially for Pakistan who is sustaining an unbearable burden since last more or less 35 years. The refugees’ continued stay in Pakistan is a sprain in the host’s frail economic Achilles’ heel. Pakistan, as always is much interested in the returning of the Afghan Refugees back to their home. Of course, the UN and EU should take effective and immediate steps to facilitate the early return of the refugees to their homes. The responsibility for timely repatriation and rehabilitation of all Afghan refugees still crumbling in Pakistan rests with the Afghan government, which must take due interest to resolve the issue of Afghan refugees as a priority policy matter to honour its citizens. Though on the other hand the US/NATO and Afghan government have already entered into a strategic treaty through signing of Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), nevertheless, in this environment it should have also been a binding on both parties to resolve the issue of millions of Afghan Refugees who are an immense burden on Pakistan, on the priority basis.
Afghanistan has signed long-delayed security pacts with the United States and NATO to authorize deployment of a small international military force in the country after the end of the year. The Taliban have their own reasons for rejecting these pacts calling them as “shameful and shocking.” However, according to the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan obtained its complete national sovereignty because until the signing of BSA the right to use military force in Afghanistan was authorized by a United Nations Security Council resolution but after the agreements are signed it will not only end the civilian casualties but will end the detentions of Afghans by foreign forces also which are two major Afghan concerns.
The positive sign is that President Ghani tried to alleviate the fears of neighboring countries. Its known to all and sundries that these are signed for the stability and prosperity of Afghanistan and to defend it against terrorist networks and not against the neighbours. Certainly his indication was towards Pakistan categorically and Iran and Russia generally, as no other country has common borders with Afghanistan. The Indians made their utmost attempts to stick their nose in Afghan affairs however, at the end of the day they had to dejectedly wrap up in Afghanistan. The Afghan leadership strongly believes that by the time the security deal expires in 2024, the goal is for his country’s economy to be strong enough to reduce the level of international support for its military. Negotiations between Kabul and Washington over the text of the Bilateral Security Agreement were completed a year ago but Ghani’s predecessor, Hamid Karzai, refused to sign it, citing anger over civilian deaths and an alleged lack of U.S. interest in helping his government negotiate peace with the Taliban. One cannot rule out Afghan Taliban’s concern altogether as their lost sleep is confirmed by RAND Corporation South Asia analyst Arturo Munoz also who said that one of the difficult issues is the role the force would have in future combat operations and according to him the solution is to embed the U.S./NATO forces with Afghan security forces, who would take the lead in any such operation.
With Afghanistan, being hostage to the radical elements, chances are high of ISIS making inroads there. In such a region wrecked by terrorism and insecurity, friendly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan would reap far greater dividends than just economic or military. Afghanistan has seen that political and security situation of the country was deteriorating with every coming day as long as India was meddling in Afghan affairs by this way or that way. The Indians had their own strategic designs and the vested interests. The Indian government chipped in, their every asset, starting from road construction to deploying the Tibetan commandoes but the natural and geographical realities were ruthlessly against them. In fact the Indians’ excitement and overplaying rang the bells and the international powers had to cut the Indians to the size. It was during that period that violence and terrorism in Afghanistan touched the peak. The Afghan people never wanted the Indians on their soil, especially when their notorious intelligence agency RAW was making every effort to spoil their relations with their next door neighbour Pakistan. There were reports that with the help of Israeli agency MOSAD, RAW had a plan to pave the way for ISIS in Afghanistan. If Pakistan and Afghanistan works diligently together then both can eliminate the chances of ISIS’s landing in Afghanistan and Pakistan, come, what may.
The Sino-Af-Pak focus is on the main and alarming issues; terrorism, extremism and separatism, which pose a major threat to the security and solidity of the three countries and the region. Unfortunately, the trio has suffered at the hands of terrorists and a combined effort will go a long way in stamping out the bane of terrorism. China being the senior partner of the trio intends building an outline of action, in the next round of proceedings. China has expressed that it will invite five delegations of senators, media, diplomats, friends and think-tanks from Afghanistan and Pakistan to visit China in 2015.
The world has seen that Pakistan has shown more concern than others for the existence of a peaceful Pakistan. We all know that a peaceful Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan. Pakistan’s policy is not to interfere in internal affairs of Afghan; we believe that peaceful Afghanistan is a guarantee for regional peace and stability and the recent visits of COAS General Raheel and DG ISI to Afghanistan were a undeniable proof to the stance. Pakistan, on its part, has made numerous efforts to strengthen ties with Afghanistan. The visits to Afghanistan by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and the Director General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with the idea to speed up efforts on the war against terror shows genuineness of purpose by Pakistan. Similarly, the army chief’s visits to the US, UK and China, and sharing with their leaderships details of his interaction with Afghan commanders, depict a renewed acknowledgement of Pakistan’s pivotal role for the future of Afghanistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s visit to Pakistan and China, in the same vein, brought in a whiff of fresh air.
This trilateral coordination and unity is likely to do wonder provided the sincerity, hard work and mutual trust prevails. Seeing the current level of cooperation, one can safely claim that the future of the region is certainly peaceful, prosperous and blooming.
No comments:
Post a Comment