THERE is a renewed push on the part of Pakistan to seek cooperation of the Afghan Government to eliminate the threat of terrorism from the region, which offers an opportunity to Kabul to respond positively for the sake of peace, amity and mutual good.
This is evident from the sincere offer made by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to the interim Afghan Government to jointly fight terrorist groups, which are causing unrest and instability. He made the offer during his meeting with Afghan Interim Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqni in Kabul, where the two sides thoroughly discussed issues of terrorism, border management and repatriation of Afghan refugees.
The visit of the Interior Minister and his frank discussions with his Afghan counterpart signify the desire of Pakistan to reset ties with Kabul and address the issue of cross border terrorism in a holistic manner for the sake of regional peace and security. Naqvi’s visit came on the heels of Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s trip to Kabul a few days ago, who exchanged views with top Afghan leaders on issues of mutual interest, including peace and security, trade and transit cooperation and regional connectivity. The two sides had reaffirmed their commitment to continue bilateral engagement and agreed to maintain high-level contacts to promote bilateral relations. In this backdrop, the visit of the Interior Minister is indicative of a possible thaw in the otherwise strained relationship between the two brotherly countries. Efforts to repair the fractured ties between Islamabad and Kabul gained momentum during a China-hosted trilateral dialogue in Beijing in May between the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. After the huddle, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had announced Islamabad and Kabul agreed in principle to send ambassadors to each other’s countries as soon as possible. The signing of the Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan (UAP) railway pact, a long-discussed infrastructure project championed by all three governments, is also being seen as one of the first tangible outcomes of renewed engagement between the two countries.
There is no doubt that the leadership of the two countries keeps on repeating commitment to promote bilateral ties but the main stumbling block in realization of this cherished objective remains inability of Afghanistan to honour its pledges to move firmly against terrorist outfits that are engaged in anti-Pakistan activities while sitting comfortably on Afghan soil. Naqvi reportedly delivered a similar message to the Afghan side as he emphasized that Pakistan considers Afghanistan as its “brotherly neighbouring” country but highlighted the activities of terrorist groups as a major obstacle in the bilateral ties. The talks were also held on effective management of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, prevention of drug trafficking and regulating cross-border movement. The repatriation process of Afghan nationals, illegally residing in Pakistan, also came under discussion. It is encouraging that both the Interior Ministers emphasized the need for peaceful coexistence, stability and enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. They agreed to strengthen mutual collaboration to improve border management and eliminate the menace of terrorism. There are reports that the Afghan Government took some measures to check activities of the TTP terrorist outfit operating from Afghanistan, including a crackdown on Afghans, who were joining the banned terrorist group. However, more needs to be done in view of a clear surge in acts of terrorism, especially in KP, which is linked to TTP elements in Afghanistan. As highlighted by Mr. Naqvi, Pakistan desires fraternal and long-lasting relations with Afghanistan but the Afghan Government must show sensitivity to the concerns of people of Pakistan. As for repatriation of Afghans, Pakistan’s point of view has been substantiated by the decision of the Iranian Government, which ordered Afghans to leave when it became evident during the Iran-Israel war that they were posing security risks for the host country. However, the doors of Pakistan are open for Afghan citizens to enter Pakistan legally and this aspect should be appreciated by the Afghan side.
