The only time Pakistan had been enjoying good relations with Kabul, and having trouble-free working relationship with the Afghan government was when Mulla Umar was in control there. Otherwise India has always been a key factor in the shaping of Kabul’s policies. Before the first Afghan war (which has gone down into history as Afghan Jehad) the Soviet influence in Kabul was predominant. And as India had excellent working relationship with the Kremlin, Kabul’s government wasn’t particularly pro-Islamabad. Who doesn’t know that it was ZAB and not General Zia ul Haque who took a major initiative to organize an Afghan resistance to Kabul’s pro-India policies. Gulbadin Hikmatyar and Ahmed Shah Masud were Bhutto’s discoveries—not General Zia ul Haque’s.
Infact Afghan Jehad was fought, not just to push back Moscow from Kabul, but
also to secure Pakistan’s northern borders so that the concept of the Strategic Depth could materialise.
It did materialize in the Taliban era, much to the chagrin of anti-Pakistan forces.
Hence the invasion of Afghanistan by the West, and the reinstalling of India in a key role in Afghanistan.
As a student of history, I can confidently say the only way we can force Kabul to cease being an ally to anti-Pakistan forces is ‘adoption’ of a tough stance. The recent decision to build a border gate at Torkham is a major symbolic step in that direction.
Afghanistan government, if opts to stay anti-Pakistan, can be made to pay a heavy price for it. All that is required is to make Kabul fully realize that Afghanistan is a land-locked country.
