THE GENESIS OF INDO-AFGHAN RELATIONS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON PAKISTAN
Pak-Afghan Relations
Emergence of Pakistan
From the outset the relations between the two countries remain cold, Afghanistan opposed the creation of Pakistan and did not recognize its territorial integrity.
The question revision of the Durand Line and the demand of the so called Pakhtoonistan were the main reasons.
Occupation Era
In 1961 Pakistan and Afghanistan came close to war.
In the first week of December 1979, Afghan President Haifzullah Amin, contacted President Zia and offered Afghanistans acceptance of Durand Line as the international frontier. However, he was executed by the invading Soviet forces on December 26, 1979 after which the relations between the two countries deteriorated again.
Soviet Occupation
The Soveits invaded Afghanistan in 1979, but anti-government guerilla forces prevented them to take control of Afghanistan. The paramount objective of Pakistans policy makers in supporting the Afghan War was to block the revival of Afghanistan nationalism and persuade a friendly government in Kabul.
Post Soviet Era
By 1989 when the Soviet left, in 1992 Burhanuddin Rabbani became the interim President. Rabbanis govt had the feelings that Pakistan had betrayed a former friendship based on military, financial and logistic support during the Afghan civil war. These sentiments were expressed by Rabbanis representative to UN, thus to Northern Alliance, Pakistan was left with no credibility to broker peace for Afghansitan.
Taliban Era
Taliban came to power on 27 September 1996. Pakistan as matter of its foreign policy have to secure western borders, thus had to recognize Talibans (the Indian threat). This recognition had many serious implications for Pakistan.
Post Taliban Era
The famous U-turn
no more comments.
Relations with the Present Setup
Karzai sworn as Chairman of Afghan interim administration, whose cabinet was drawn from representatives of Northern Allaince, the Rome Group loyal to former Kind Zahir Shah and Peshawar exile groups (all the people with anti-Pakistan sentiments), so the results were obvious.
Indo-Afghan Relations
Historically Afghanistan have been part and parcel of the Indian psyche:
1. In 1960s, Afghanistan became one of the top recipients of Indian economic aid. India played a critical role in bringing together various factions of theh Afghan left movement in 1970.
2. When Afghanistan became the final battle ground of the Cold War, india tended to tail Soviet policy rather than develop its own independent profile. Indias Afghan policy during the period of the Soveit interventionary war was contradictory. Although New Delhi, vociferously decrided the involvement of external powers in the regions security affairs, it maintained a guarded silence over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
3. Indias relations with most Afghan regimes remained cordial except the Taliban rule. However, it would be worth mentioning that unlike Afghan regimes, Indian governments in general did not extend support to the struggle of Afghan people against the Soviet forces.
Relation During Taliban Regime
During the Talibans rule in mid 90s, india was completely marginalized.
The Indian embassy in Kabul was closed down the day Taliban captured the city.
Indian Relations with the Present Setup
India had been playing a backdoor role at the Bonn deliberations, which brought the present government in existence. Thereafter, General Fahim the Afghani Defence Minster the brother of Ahmad Shah Masud also visited Indian. Points to be kept in mind are:
a. The current President Karzai did his postgarduation in political sciences from Shimla in the 80s. With this new set of government, india found in Afghanistan, a Muslim neighbor to counter Pakistan.
b. With four consulates in Jalabad, Kandhar, Heart and Mazar-e-Sharif, besides the embassy in Kabul, indias diplomatic reach has never been as wide in Afghanistan as it is today. For the first time since partition, india poised to contribute significantly to the political and economic affairs of Afghanistan.
Indian Efforts to Win the Minds of Afghan People
India with the objective of isolation Pakistan is going all out to win the hearts and minds of Afghan people by helping them with the support required for reconstruction and development. Some of the areas of cooperation are:
a. Indian announced a financial assistance of US $ 100 million for Afghanistan
b. Assistance of 1 million ton of wheat.
c. Assistance provided in November 2001:
1. A team of 19 doctors and paramedics deputed at Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif fo providing medical assistance.
2. Nearly 95 tone of medicines, medical instruments and equipment have been sent.
3. Winter clothing was sent to provide immediate humanitarian relief in December 2001.
4. A consignment of musical instrument was sent to Kabul as requested
by Afghan Radio and Television.
5. A 3 months training program for the Afgahan diplomats commenced at Foreign Institute Delhi.
6. Provided 50 buses for the public transport system. The second lot of 25 Tata buses was handed over in July 2003.
7. A LAN network with internet access via V Sat was established with supply of necessary equipment in the office of Foreign Minister.
8. 12 courses have been indentified ofr training of 250 Afghan police officers and cadets in india, 2 courses have been already completed and 7 are currently running at various police academies in inida (God they all would be so friendly to us)
9. A computer training center has been setup in Kabul for providing training to Afghan officials.
10. Deputation of experts to assist Central Bank of Afghanistan.
11. Approximately 19 ton of vegetable seeds have been supplied to the agriculture ministry.
12. Training of Afghan doctors and paramedics from Indra Ghandhi Institute of Child Health at All India Institute of Medical Sciences for 3 months started in 2002.
13. Three airbuses aircrafts gifted to Afghan Airlines (Gosh india is rich)
14. Made in India show was held under the auspices of the Confederation of Indian Industry.
It can be ascertained that india would continue to enhance its influence in Afghanistan in order to exacerbate Pakistans internal front and ensure substantial military commitment by Pakistan along with Pak-Afghan border by having best relations with the present Afghan leadership, possessing anti Pakistan sentiments.
Analysis of Indian Design
Strategic and Political Aim
Present Afghan govt is being used by india for the purpose of:
1. On the occasion of reopening ceremony of Indian embassy in Kabul Mr Jaswant Singh said, I have the distinction of formally reopening the Indian mission in Kabul after a painful gap of long time. India by conviction is a great power, but it is nit flexing its muscles. We are simply telling that rest of the world that india is on the march, and it will not be stopped. It is much better that the rest of the world recognizes this fact.
2. In the ongoing war in Afghanistan, india was so eager to be a party to GWOT. India wants to kill four birds in one go:
a. Gain its share of loaf in Afghanistan.
b. Fulfill its aim in Kashmir on the plea that it is also against terrorism
c. Kashmiri terrorism means backed by Pakistan so the war against Pakistan should be supported by the world.
d. Anything involving Pakistan to Bin Laden is Muslim terrorism, so anti Muslim hype can be and is being whipped up in india.
Threats Emanating from Indian Designs
Afghanistan
India lost direct access to Afghanistan and became dependent on Pakistan for maintaining contacts including trade relation between the two countries. However, india is pursuing its desire of enhancing its global reach by having friendly relation with Afghanistan and Iran:
1. Excellent political relations with the Afghan leadership and foreseeable prospect for large scale economic cooperation have come to define indias forward policy in Afghanistan.
2. Afghanistan has approved more investment proposals in the last year than in previous 46 years.
3. India is expected to waive all duties on certain types of dry fuites and precious stones from Afghanistan. In return india will get duty free access for tea, medicine and other items.
Hostile Western Border
indian diplomatic corps is reportedly busy cultivating relations with importnat militray commanders operating close to Pakistani boders, moreover, india is busy in making all her efforts to create a gulf of misunderstanding between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Following will give more details.
Durand Line
Controversy concerning in Pak-Afghan border, the sources asserted that it was just a canard motived by vested interests demanding demarcation of international border.
Pakhtoonistan
It is one of the prime intrests of idia to keep the issue of so called Pakhtoonistan alive. indian has always been very supportive, and after 1965 war announced its open support to the so called 'Pakhtoonistan movement'
Law and Order
indian connections with former Afghan President Rabbani primarily dirceted towards creating problems for Pakistan.
Economic Threat
india is trying to bypass Pakistan by developing relations with the required infrastructure through Iran's Chahbahar port to have access to landlocked CARs and European countries.
india is basically desirous to divert the attention of international market and especially CARs away from Pakistan.
Tashkent's focus had shifted from Karachi to Mumbai for access to a global market.
Maligning Pakistan's Image
india has launched a strong media campaign, as evident from some of the following:
-' We are amused, disappointed but not surprised by refusal of Pakistan to cooperate with us to eradicate scourge of terrorism.
-'Together with Afghanistan, Pakistan became the epicenter of international terrorism. So long as this activity was promoted Pakistan's strategic interests were directed against india and it was ignored by the West'
-'While deep concerns are mounting about the nexus between fundamentalism, terrorism anmd weapons of mass destruction, the spot light is not on Pakistan, which has all the three ingredients of concern, plus the additional one of fears of it becoming a 'Failed State'.
We have seen how there is a remarkable lack of curiosity about Pakistan's nuclear connections with North Korea in exchange for missile technology, which poses grave challenges to indian security.
-'Pakistan is also deeply enmeshed in a narcotics problem that is complex, multifaceted and growing. Pakistan is a major producer of opium'.
