Pakistan from Asia to heart of Asia
FROM Asia to Heart of Asia Pakistan has become an important country to bring peace in Afghanistan.
It has now become instrumental to pursue greater regional integration and socio-economic prosperity to achieve the long-awaited dreams of regional connectivity.
From the realms of pure politics to geopolitics to new horizons of geo-economy mountains and capital of Asia and Central Asia have been reshaping and redesigning their strategic priorities towards greater regionalism through sustainable peace and economic growth alike especially in Afghanistan.
In this context, the 9th Ministerial Conference “Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process” was held in Dushanbe with the participation of the Leader of Nation, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon and the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Muhammad Ashraf Ghani.
Fifteen countries participated in the Heart of Asia process, while another 17 countries and 12 regional and international organizations supported it.
The 9th conference in Dushanbe witnessed representatives of around 50 countries and organizations.
The main theme of the 2021 Heart of Asia was “Strengthening Consensus for Peace and Development.”
All the countries stressed the need to have national reconciliation drive to promote economic assistance and the creation of functional national institutions and agencies comprising all main stakeholders in Afghanistan.
All regional players showed their commitments to support a cooperative action to achieve a peaceful and realistic settlement in Afghanistan.
During the meeting, participants appreciated Pakistan’s principled stance of an “Afghan-led” and “Afghan-owned” peace process.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also participated and upheld Pakistan’s desire to achieve peace and progress in the war-torn Afghanistan.
FM Qureshi, while addressing the 9th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Dushanbe upheld Afghanistan as an “important neighbour and a brotherly country with strong historical links. He hoped that the Afghan peace process at a “defining junction”.
He added that Afghanistan has been ravaged with conflicts and destruction for the last 40 years and has never been so close to turning the tide to establish peace and stability in the country.
He elaborated different phases of ongoing Afghan peace process starting with the signing of Doha Agreement between the USA and Taliban and termed it a milestone.
He narrated the Doha agreement a historic opportunity for the Afghan leadership to achieve an inclusive broad-based comprehensive negotiated political settlement.
While addressing the key note speech he upheld that there was no military solution for Afghanistan.
We continue to guide the Afghan parties and the international community to achieve the end goal i.e. peace and stability in Afghanistan, he further added.
Highlighting the sincere efforts of Pakistan’s government he briefed about its outreach to Afghan leaders, across a wide spectrum, by consistently urging them to remain constructively engaged in securing a positive outcome.
He showcased the importance of collective political consultation and series of dialogue with good faith among all the negotiating parties to resolve conflicting realities and issues pertaining to Afghan issue.
He pinpointed role of spoilers both within and outside Afghanistan and also expressed concern regarding the increasing violence in Afghanistan.
He warned that presence of the ISIS and Al Qaeda could accentuate a threat of terrorism.
He also alerted the conference about the “risk posed by damaged infrastructure and lack of economic opportunities.
The Foreign Minister urged the international community to “focus on consolidating and building upon the progress made through the Doha process”.
Earlier, the Foreign Minister labelled the Heart of Asia Istanbul Process an “important platform bringing participating and supporting countries together to advance shared goals of peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.
On the sidelines of the conference, Qureshi also held consultations with key regional and international partners.
While delivering the key note speech the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon highlighted numerous civilizational commonalities and strong neighbourliness with Afghanistan and termed lingual, cultural and traditional ties as historic and centuries old.
President Rahmon called on the international community and organizations to help solve the Afghan issue as an international problem.
While discussing the different aspects of peace and stability of Afghanistan he highlighted deteriorating law and order situation in Afghanistan as threat to the entire region.
He stressed the need to expand regional cooperation and achievement of peace and stability in Afghanistan through international cooperation and assistance.
He assured Tajikistan’s full support for the implementation of a comprehensive international strategy to ensure stability and peace in Afghanistan.
He concluded that the security and stability of Central Asia depended on the establishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the creation of favourable conditions for its peaceful development.
Thus cooperation with Afghanistan remained a strategic list of priorities of Tajikistan’s Foreign Policy.
The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was launched in 2011 and remained an important platform to promote peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan through regional cooperation, confidence-building measures (CBMs), and dialogue.
Right from the beginning Pakistan attached high importance to this process and has been a regular contributor to the advancement of its objectives.
Pakistan is the lead country for Disaster Management and Agriculture Development CBMs under the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process.
The member countries of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, donor countries, regional and international organizations supported the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to ensure security and stability in the country.
In this regard, they called on the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban Movement to lay a solid foundation for restoration of peace and stability in this war-torn country.
The countries of the region asserted the key role of Afghanistan in ensuring security throughout the Central Asian region and supported the constructive initiatives of the international community in maintaining peace and stability in Afghanistan and its economic and social recovery.
In conclusion, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of “Heart of Asia- Istanbul Process” adopted the Dushanbe Declaration.
Afghanistan has been a stumbling point in regional connectivity and prosperity. Constant deteriorating law and order situation of Afghanistan is a colossal threat to regional stability and peace.
On the other hand, peace in Afghanistan would accelerate regional energy cooperation mainly, TAPI and CASA-1000.
Moreover, the transregional railway project would connect Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the days to come.
—The writer is Director, Geopolitics/Economics Member Board of Experts, CGSS.
