The fifth Moscow Format Consultations hosted by Russia with participation from other regional countries including Pakistan and China has called upon the interim Afghan Government to take effective measures to dismantle all sorts of terrorist groups based in the country and to ensure that their territory no longer serves as terrorism hotspot.
The call made by the regional countries is based on genuine concerns as ever since the fall of Kabul over two years ago, the terrorist outfits in Afghanistan have become a more potent threat to regional peace and stability. Pakistan is bearing the brunt of this terrorism. Regardless of repeated commitments made by Kabul authorities of not allowing their land to be used against any other country, safe havens and liberty of action along with the latest weapons available to terrorist outfits such as TTP have enabled them to carry out attacks inside Pakistan. This situation is also rightly a matter of concern for other regional countries as well as in the days to come these terror outfits can also pose a serious threat to their peace and security. Hence, the regional security meeting hosted by Russia serves as a testament to the necessity of collaborative efforts in addressing the security challenges emanating from Afghanistan. This collective approach acknowledges that the security situation in Afghanistan has far-reaching implications for the entire region and underscores the urgency of finding comprehensive solutions. Time has come that the Afghan authorities take decisive action against the terror outfits. Doing so not only will improve their standing in the world community but also encourage other countries, especially those in the region to enter Afghanistan with their investment – something which will open opportunities for the conflict ridden Afghan people. This shall also prevent their further migration and provide conditions for the return of the refugees. The Moscow meeting also urged Afghan authorities to establish “a practical, outcome-oriented dialogue with the representatives of alternative ethno-political groups with a view to completing the process of peaceful settlement and forging a balanced, more broad-based, inclusive, accountable and responsible government. Indeed this is the way forward and help Kabul effectively address its most pressing challenges. This will also pave the way for Afghanistan to get world recognition. The regional countries must continue their engagement with Kabul authorities to influence them to move in the right direction.
