Iqbal Khan
Pakistan has decidedto exercise its right to take its anti-terrorist operations beyond its international borders-more specifically into shallow depths of Afghanistan. It is indeed a bold strategy to tackle joint efforts by India and Afghanistan aimed at conducting acts of terrorism in Pakistan.Since the recent serial terrorist attacks in all provinces of the country Pakistan’s military has embarked on comprehensive counter terrorism operations within and outside Pakistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has allowed Pakistan’s armed forces to carry out anti-terrorist operations abroad as well.Following a spate of terror attacks, originating form Afghanistan, in which more than 100 Pakistani persons have been killed, Pakistan has sealed its border with Afghanistan.Ever since, Pakistani troops have been conducting shelling to target camps of Jammat-ul Ahrar, a splinter faction of the TTP, whose hideouts and training infrastructure are located in Afghan territory.
Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah expressed concerns over Pakistani shelling of border areas, warning such actions would help neither side. “Afghan forces have been directed from the outset not to take actions that could fuel the tension on the Durand Line,” Abdullah said.He reiterated that terrorist groups active in Afghanistan and inflicting bloodshed on Afghans were created outside Afghanistan. Afghan foreign ministry has handed over to Pakistan a list of 32 training centers and 85 militant leaders, who are involved in terrorist attacks against Afghanistan. Afghan ambassador to Islamabad, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal delivered the list to Pakistani authorities.Move came after Pakistan handed over a list of 76 fugitive militants to the Afghan government, and demanded Kabul take immediate action against them, or had them over to Pakistan. Mutual allegations of sponsoring terrorist attacks on each other’s’ territory have been at the center of political and diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In the meanwhile UN envoy UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto arrived in Islamabad to reduce Pak-Afghan tension He met Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and discussed the “situation in Afghanistan and efforts for promoting long term peace and stability in that country.” Fatemi reiterated Pakistan’s firm resolve for effective border management, underlining the need for cooperation by the Afghan side.
As of now, the hype has peaked off and both sides have issued conciliatory statements in an apparent attempt to defuse days of border tensions stemming from Pakistan’s charges that Afghan soil was used for masterminding these terrorist attacks.Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan will fight their “common enemy” of terrorism together.He “also welcomed proposals from Afghan authorities to take forward the mutual coordination for result-oriented efforts against terrorism”. He also welcomed Afghan leaders’ statements to cooperate with Pakistan in anti-terror fight. “Pakistan and Afghanistan have fought against terrorism and shall continue this effort together”, he stated.
After the change of administration, Afghanistan issue is once again picking up momentum in American calculus. Month of February saw a series of high profile terrorist attacks in various urban centers of Pakistan.Linkage between the two is quite complicated and very strong. That is why in the contemporary world there can be no mention of Afghanistan sans Pakistan.
Sensing the void in President Trump’s understanding of Afghan issue, every Tom, Dick and Harry, in the American policy circle, is trying to catch his attention by forwarding all sorts of propositions- hence, conspiracy theories abound. Commander Resolute Mission Support General John Nicholson has been lobbying for return of additional foreign troops to Afghanistan since Obama days, he has redoubled his effort since change of guards at the White House. To win support for his arguments, he has added another flavour in the curry by floating the opinion that Russia, Pakistan and Iran are pursuing their own agendas with regard to fragile Afghanistan, thuscomplicating the fight against terrorism and extremism. The general also added that he needed “a few thousand” more soldiers in a “very, very tough fight” because “enemy is trying to seize cities,” as a new dimension to the fight.” Pakistan has played down remarks by Nicholson, a senior official said there was nothing new or significant in his statement. He added that the remarks reflected the American military’s “frustration over security challenges they are facing in Afghanistan”.
Afghan government is just struggling to protect only urban centers. Some important urban centres have often exchanged hands between Taliban and ANSF since after end of ISAF/Nato military mission in 2014. The tactical level fight has degenerated into a protracted “stalemate.” “Our Afghan partners have been sustaining very significant losses,” Nicholson said. “And I’m not sure that’s sustainable.” Nicholson narrated in a recent testimony before Services Armed forces Committee of the US Senate.
Afghan government has spontaneously endorsed General Nicholson’s wish for additional foreign troops ahead of another intense fighting spree-Spring Offensive. “We welcome the proposal of deploying thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan to effectively train and advise Afghan forces. The war in Afghanistan is a war against terrorism and we want this war to reach a successful end. In that regard, we think this is a positive step”, Afghan defence ministry spokesman stated. Starting from 1, 40,000 troops from 49 countries during surge years, the number started falling in 2011, tapering off to little over 13000. US special operations troops routinely accompany and advise Afghan forces on combat missions, while the US fighter jets and drones provide air support and surveillance. So far ANSF have not been able to take back any territory from Taliban unless foreign troops’ joined the combat.
In the meanwhile Taliban haveurged President Donald Trump to withdraw US forces from the “quagmire” of Afghanistan. In an open letter to Trump released on one of its official web site, the content stated that the US had lost credibility after spending a trillion dollars on a fruitless entanglement. “So, the responsibility to bring to an end this war also rests on your shoulders.” The Talibanwarned Trump against relying on the kind of “unrealistic” reports presented to former presidents by their generals: “They would emphasize continuation of war and occupation of Afghanistan because they can have better positions and privileges in war.” Statement also accused the US of imposing a “surrogate administration” on Afghanistan.
Afghan officials are pushing to create a “safe zone” for Taliban insurgents in a bid to wean them away from traditional sanctuaries inside Pakistan, in a radical and contentious strategy to de-escalate the conflict.Strategy aims at undercutting Pakistan’s influence over the Taliban. “I urge the Taliban to return to Afghanistan. We should make a safe zone for them and their families,” Kandahar police chief Abdul Raziq told a gathering in January.”We can no longer rely on foreign governments and embassies to end the war”, he added.Another perspective has it that a former Helmand governor Sher Akhundzada has warned that, “The government shouldn’t be giving safe zones to terrorists.” Some observers have dismissed the strategy as “illogical” as the Taliban already control vast swathes of Afghan territory.Afghanistan’s National Security Council did not officially confirm the government strategy, however, it confirmed that: “The Taliban are allowed to relocate to Afghanistan under state protection.”
Pakistan and Afghanistan need to fight the terrorism jointly, none of the two could handle it single handedly. For this, Afghanistan has to come out of the Indian influence. Border management between Pakistan and Afghanistan is the bed rock for restricting the movement of extremist fighters. Intelligence sharing is another important aspect that needs attention. Afghanistan has been shying away from both these vital components of joint counter terrorism effort. Afghan leadership needs to rise to the challenge and take concrete steps to augment Pakistan’s effort to counter terrorism within Afghanistan.
