Averting the crisis
DIPLOMATIC efforts of Pakistan have significantly increased amid new challenges emerging from post withdrawal scenario of Afghanistan.
Besides receiving Foreign Ministers and top diplomats from Western countries, Pak Foreign Office is continuously conveying principle based stance for restoration of durable peace in the region.
How Pakistan assisted the international community in the evacuation operations is just one aspect of a much larger multi-dimensional positive policy to resuscitate stability in Afghanistan.
Setting up of a dialogue table between rival quarters of war ridden Afghanistan prior to Doha deal was also a complex challenge for Islamabad.
Despite hostile and non-cooperative response from Kabul palace, Pakistan as a responsible state, facilitated the peace process with all purity of intent. This fact was acknowledged at multiple occasions by responsible officials of US, UN and NATO.
How the things shaped up in Afghanistan, between inking of Doha deal and fleeing of Ashraf Ghani, cannot be attributed to Pakistan.
Pak PM has rightly reminded the world that how Afghanistan had been ruined by the interfering powers during past four decades.
Obviously, Pakistan is the most affected regional country which suffered multiple spill over losses from Afghanistan’s blood soaked unrest.
Bitter facts, frequently pointed out by Foreign Minister on the sidelines of UNGA annual session, clearly conveyed Pak stance on rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan and created a better ground for PM’s address.
The way Afghanistan issue continues to dominate the international media in post withdrawal scenario, it is necessary to put across Pakistan’s point of view convincingly to shun the negative speculations.
While transmitting effective strategic signals to the world, decision makers in Islamabad should not expect a merit-based acknowledgement for that truth which tends to expose the follies of none other than the powerful orchestrators of Afghanistan campaign.
This tendency is obvious from the frenzied debates taking place on Western media about unopposed arrival of Taliban in Kabul with a meaningful avoidance to criticize the US for investing on Ashraf Ghani’ regime which evaporated mysteriously from the arena.
Truth twisted in the Indian mills of fake news is a true reflection of New Delhi’s Pakistan centric hyperbole approach.
There are significant common grounds between US and India in this particular situation. Scapegoating Pakistan for the follies and failures is one of the most favourite items on the menu card of disaster.
Demonizing Taliban as a terrorist group and bracketing them falsely with Pakistan helps India in diverting world’s attention from massive state sponsored atrocities in IIOJK, persecution of the Muslims in the hands of Hindutva mercenaries, human rights violations against scheduled castes (Dalits), inhuman approach towards protesting farmers and dangerous acceleration of arms race in the region.
It is about time to grasp the fact that India always stood by with corrupt inefficient Ashraf Ghani regime which actually failed US and NATO in Afghanistan.
When Indian proxies were attacking to destabilize Pakistan with terrorism from Afghan soil, US and NATO not only turned a blind eye but also demanded assistance from Islamabad in critical moments of peace process.
Responsibility of Afghanistan’s present situation entirely rests on the shoulders of those players who had been managing the affairs in the war-ridden country with military might, financial leverage and political manipulations.
Time has proved the truth of Pakistan’s advice to the US that no military solution would ever work in Afghanistan.
It is good that messaging from Pakistan’s state quarters is very clear and non-apologetic but there has to be something more pragmatic beyond the statements and speeches.
Countries adopt policies and render responses to important developments in line with their interest.
Pakistan’s positive contribution in settling the Afghanistan issue wouldn’t be judged on merit by US or any other player until Islamabad’s future policies align with theirs.
The region is likely to witness the revival of cold war era as is evident from recent activities shaping up around alliances like QUAD, AUKUS and SCO.
Fresh American obsession with China containment drive has reminded the world about its past Russia-centric adventures.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the prime victims of US-Russia adventurism in this region. A very pertinent lesson of the history is that weaker countries cannot compel or convince the powerful contenders to stop playing havoc in their own heartland.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and to a great extant foreign sponsored terror-affected border areas of Pakistan are the live examples on global canvas.
Ground realities demand a careful application of collective wisdom to keep the flames of international rifts away from Pakistan’s main heartland.
Chinese growing linkage with Pakistan, Iran and rest of the regional countries is a source of concern for the US and its allies.
New Delhi’s obsession with ‘Two Front War’ doctrine coupled with huge procurement of latest armament is logical outcome of its QUAD commitments.
Afghanistan’s stability under new regime matters a lot for Pakistan but Taliban’s conduct not Islamabad’s advocacy will create a real difference.
Internal stability is the much-needed commodity for Pakistan to deal with the complex challenges of terrorism, hostile diplomacy, fake news campaigns, Kashmir issue, FATF strangulation and turbulent domestic political landscape.
A stable Pakistan will be in a better position to balance out the ties with rival global players. This is the only way how Pakistan can avert the spillover effects of global conflicts.
—The writer, a retired Col, is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
