- S. John
A war extending through almost 2 decades, led by the US in Afghanistan, still unresolved had implications in the entire region. Pakistan being a major stakeholder in the war, which it was dragged in, has played the most significant role in region’s security and stability and has paid a price higher than any other nation involved. This war on terror initially originated from Afghanistan was a succession of Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989. Pakistan was a military ally of US in forcing USSR back to their barracks. US launched mujahedeen to fight USSR and OBL was a prominent figure who later was known as the chief of Al-Qaeda. Tables turned when Al-Qaeda, led by Bin Laden, hijacked 4 passenger aircrafts from 4 different airfields and crashed them into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 resulting in 2,977 casualties in the heart of US. This, no doubt was a huge security lapse and heated things inside the US. Ultimately, the affairs partially pre-decided were substantiated and US launched operation ‘Enduring freedom’ against the accused Bin Laden and his group. The then mujahedeen, turned into terrorist in US books. US set foot on Afghan soil again on October 7, 2001 and War on terror was realized.
US signified the war on terror as a need of the time and were able to summon the international support on this issue, owing to terrorism being a global concern. Pakistan was a continuous help to US in Afghanistan war and suffered more than any other ally. Together US, Afghan forces, NATO were fighting the Taliban with Pakistan as a regional support. The Taliban, out of sheer frustration begin targeting Pakistan in attacks on various fronts ranging from suicide attacks or target killing to instilling a fear in masses. In a report issued by ministry of finance Pakistan suffered a loss of 123.1 billion US dollars from 2001 to 2017. 75,000 civilians have lost their lives to this war. It is the most a nation has suffered in a war that it was dragged in. The mere aid from US to Pakistan for its cooperation was 33.4 billion dollars from 2002 to 2016.
The consequences of this involvement of Pakistan were massive and led to Pakistan’s stability as well as security issue. Pakistan is facing the aftermath of this war on multiple grounds and has deteriorated its standing among the nations of the world. A report published by The Guardian stated Trump administration’s dictation to put more pressure on Pakistan because of allegations that it harbors and supports insurgents. A similar statement was issued by NATO in 2006 but was reverted because of no tangible proof. The government and army of Pakistan denied these accusations time and again. The stance of Pakistan for peace in Afghanistan has always been loud and clear. It has always been an advocate of peace and has propagated its political support to end Afghan war.
The US-Pakistan bilateral ties started declining in 2011 after a surprise raid in Abbottabad killing Osama, and had touched a lowest in January 2018 when Trump suspended US security assistance to Islamabad on claims that Pakistan is not cooperating with US against militant groups. Reflecting to this claim, Pakistan made it clear that Peace and Stability in Afghanistan is a mutual responsibility and it has done everything in its capacity for the stated cause. Peace in Afghanistan is directly associated with peace in Pakistan but due to rising Indian influence in Afghanistan and Afghan-Pakistan border, bilateral relations are troubled. Also RAW has been reported supporting guerilla activities in Pakistan through Afghan border so with aim to counter rising Indian influence in Afghanistan, Pakistan projects its full support to peaceful Afghanistan rendering all blames of Taliban harboring baseless.
After Imran held the prime ministry of Pakistan, his narrative on Pakistan being a part of US-led war has been clear. He rejected all the unsubstantiated rhetoric against Pakistan facilitating terrorism. He stated that Pakistan will not carry the blame of US failures. Angered at the tweet of US President Donald Trump as he targeted Pakistan for not doing a damn thing and just getting financial assistance of war from US, Khan retorted “Trump needs to be informed about historical facts. Pakistan has suffered enough fighting US’s war. Now we will do what we think is best for our people.” His stand confirmed that Pakistan, in this region, is too important to ignore. Pakistan foreign office registered a strong protest against the unwarranted allegations.
Against the backdrop, Trump realization of Pakistan’s importance in order to secure ‘negotiated settlement with Taliban’ led his administration to write reconciliation letter to Imran Khan requesting help for advancing peace talks with Taliban in Afghanistan. Imran Khan’s reprisal compelled Trump for a reality check and come up to the right part of the history. PMIK received a letter from the white house shortly after his retaliation requesting facilitation of talks between Taliban and US-Afghan coalition forces. US, despite of spending more than a trillion US dollars and a huge force including NATO and Afghan forces, could not defeat Taliban. US comprehension of Taliban as insuperable power broker in Afghanistan, forced them to think of a principled exit from the land of Taliban. Washington pressed by Islamabad’s response to Trump’s tweet and to an obvious surrender to Taliban hegemony, requested for assistance in Peace talks and bilateral US-Afghan relations.
