Shabbir Suleman
After the elimination of Mullah Fazlullah earlier and the change of political setup in Pakistan, it is hoped that these significant developments will likely produce a thaw in the frosty relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The unstable relations are going to be stimulated in harmonious order by the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) taken in recent days. Eradicating the intricacies and reducing trust deficit, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister paid visit to Kabul in recently, which played a significant role in resuming bilateral ties. On the other side, Ashraf Ghani congratulated Pakistan after the elimination of Mullah Fazlullah who was involved in the debacle of Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar. Since very long this type of Afghan government behavior towards Pakistan has not been depicted. All these happenings engendered some serious questions for governments of Afghanistan as well as Pakistan, whose answers will be conducive to draw the road map for future peaceful co existence for both neighbors.
Talking about cross-border terrorism which is the core issue between the two states, Pakistan stands victor in yelling a blue murder against Afghanistan’s territory to be used against her. The incident of Mullah Fazlullah gave validity to Pakistan’s claims and presenting her a truthful complainer. Unequivocally, Afghanistan proved to be the launch pad of terrorism and still hosting many other most wanted terrorists to Pakistan. According to many analysts, the death of Mullah Fazlullah was of a high magnitude and the government at Kabul could not hide, the only way left with them was to acknowledge it along with congratulatory call to Pakistan. Ashraf Ghani may not have done that; rather he was succumbed to do that. Whatever the fact was, the gesture of Afghan President was appreciable and conducive in bringing harmony between the two states. However, the clouds of mistrust use to become darker and darker after repeated suicide attacks on politicians along with killing hundreds of innocents in Pakistan. All the attacks, undoubtedly, were reportedly orchestrated and directed from Afghanistan. What will be the stance of Ashraf Ghani towards Khurasani and other Taliban leadership who are still using Afghan soil as a shelter to sabotage Pakistan? Are they in Afghanistan? If yes, then where? According to the Afghan officials, Mullah Fazlullah was killed in an area where there was no writ of the government. Similarly, the top brass of Taliban have been hiding in the areas where there is no government machinery. If this is true, then the question arises as to whom Pakistan is neighboring. Afghanistan or a lawless state of terrorists? It is a huge debate which Pakistan, so far, has never pointed out on the global forums. Recent brutal incidents and waging vendetta in Balochistan and Waziristan were launched from Afghanistan or from another nameless state of terrorists? Pakistan always cared sovereignty and integrity of Afghanistan in a meticulous manner, however, what should be the response against the hostile elements that are operating so freely against Pakistan and no one is there to stop them? Pakistan is very much legitimate to curb these adversaries then.
The administration at Kabul should take serious steps to recapture its hijacked territories which are apparently impossible in the near future. Questioning ‘Durand Line’ and objecting the fencing of border are the subjects which are to be addressed very later. Need of the hour for Kabul is to evacuate its territories from these ugly guests at the earliest. If Kabul cannot handle the situation, then this could be a grave concern for the security of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, there are no two ways about it that the smoldering flame of Afghan government has no hope to burn high as the recent history reveals the expansion of Taliban.
Amid such changes, one thing which emerged on the scene is the identification of warmongers. The then Afghan spy chief and now turned politician Rehmatullah Nabeel condemned the act of the Afghan President and regarded it as disloyalty with Afghanistan and its people. Such types of myopic politicians are still chanting the ant-Pakistan slogans. They called it the victory of Pakistan and a shameful defeat of Afghanistan. Nabeel declared the Ghani’s call a historical mistake. According to him, Afghan leadership depicted a high level of submission to Pakistan and acknowledged its state as a centre of terrorism. The Afghan government should check the stance of such elements and the nefarious designs behind them. Kabul should define explicitly its prospective relations with Pakistan. The signed framework is already there in which both countries can repose some trust, on the basis of which they can move forward. However, the pressure of spoilers has raised questions about the durability of this peace and solidarity.
It is a stubborn fact that an atmosphere of peace is restored to some extent. It needs serious endeavors at a stretch. Pakistan always wanted bilateral activities and moves. In the midst of extremism and terrorism in this region, the constructive role of the leadership on both sides is praise-worthy. The government at Kabul needs strong grip over all the Afghan territory and for that, she badly needs the assistance of Pakistan. Blame-game and debating the controversial subjects should be avoided. Identification of odds in the political circles of Afghanistan should be red-marked, in order to have a smooth-sailing with Pakistan. Notably, more than the common humanity, Pakistan shares an intimate and irrevocable bond with the Afghan people.
