International community and Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN is facing both economic and governance crisis post August 2021. Recently, photo of a TV anchor went viral who is selling food on the streets after losing his job.
This reflects severity of the situation in Afghanistan in which people have to take usual steps in order to survive.
Public is suffering from extreme poverty, it is unfortunate that people are selling their organs i.e kidneys in order to meet the requirement of their daily needs.
Afghanistan is facing a constant chaos and violence over the decades and it is the general public that is suffering the most.
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 resulted in 7 million refuges out of which 3. Million refuges came to Pakistan.
International community was giving an aid of around $ 8 billion to Afghanistan each year, $ 4.5 billion in budget and development aid and about$ 4 billion in military aid.
Stoppage of this aid since the Taliban’s takeover has completely disrupted the functions of governance.
The crisis of poverty and hunger in Afghanistan is of magnitude in which it is difficult for the Taliban government to deal with it.
Out of poverty people of Afghanistan are vulnerable to anything even being part of the non-state actors, MI-5 of Britain already has indicated the threat that people can join ISIS Khurasan and could become another threat in the long times.
There has been questions about the governance of Taliban in which universities for girls have opened yet there are hurdles about opening girl’s schools.
Western world has been demanding a favourable environment for the women to resume their professions.
Neighbouring countries including Pakistan has recommended inclusive government with participation of all stakeholders for betterment of the country.
Even if these conditions are met by the Taliban then still every country is looking towards US whetheror not they will recognize the government which would be followed by all.
Unfortunately, Afghanistan is not in focus when it comes to highlight miseries of the nation.
Western media over the recent months has been highlighting the Ukrainian crisis and this is being effectively looked into the perspective of people suffering at the hand of the war.
When it comes to Afghanistan all know that people of Afghanistan are suffering day by day but Western stance on Afghanistan is declining and that attention is not being paid to Afghanistan especially when it comes to the humanitarian crisis.
In the global power dynamics and through the prism of realism states follow the supreme national interest through power.
After 9/11, US while announcing its war against terrorism attacked Afghanistan. Pakistan being left with no option but to follow the global order as it became US partner in war against terrorism.
US led NATO forces remained in Afghanistan for twenty years, resultantly, instability and violence faced by the local public.
After spending immense amount of money US failed to maintain a hold in Afghanistan and ultimately Western alliance had to leavethe country after Doha peace agreement.
US’swithdrawal from Afghanistan left the Afghan people in a severe humanitarian crisis that continues to this day.
US and Western world are equally responsible for the current situation of Afghanistan and it is the responsibility of these countries to compensate and address the Afghan people for their sufferings.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
