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Pak-Afghan ties: A true hope for betterment or yet another false alarm?
Global Village Space |
Imtiaz Gul |
Afghanistan’s Khaama Press news agency on Saturday quoted President Ashraf Ghani as saying that “Pakistan is in isolation but an isolated Pakistan is not in favor of Afghanistan.” The country must be encouraged to refrain from supporting terrorist groups, an obvious reference to the Afghan Taliban’s sanctuaries in the border regions.
Ghani made these remarks during a meeting with local tribal elders of southern Kandahar province Friday evening.
It is an opportunity because President Ghani’s “less hostile and diagnostic” tone on the disadvantages of an “isolated Pakistan” to Afghanistan reflects the realization that such attempts (by India) will only precipitate his country’s fragility and insecurity.
If reported correctly by the news agency, Ghani’s quote on Pakistan offers some glimmer of hope as far as the bilateral relations are concerned, particularly to the context of the bloody exchanges of fire and loss of life in the Spin Boldak district near the Durand Line earlier this month.
Read more: What halts India and Afghanistan from making peace with Pakistan?
Ghani’s remarks coincided with two important statements. One by US Forces in Afghanistan said at least 750 militants affiliated with the Afghan chapter of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – ISIS Khurasan – were killed in the past two-and-a-half months in Afghanistan. Their territory and fighting strength have been reduced two-thirds.
The second statement emanated from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Headquarters. Released May 19 after a stakeholders’ meeting it said all members reaffirmed their commitments to sustainable security in Afghanistan and to their strong partnership with Afghanistan.
For Pakistan, this situation represents both an opportunity as well as challenges.
It is an opportunity because President Ghani’s “less hostile and diagnostic” tone on the disadvantages of an “isolated Pakistan” to Afghanistan reflects the realization that such attempts (by India) will only precipitate his country’s fragility and insecurity.
Also, if one were to go by the optimism of some pro-active and well-meaning Afghan officials, Pak-Afghan acrimony probably has already peaked (because of acts of terrorism in February and March) and now may be heading for de-escalation. They believe that the relationship is not entirely lost yet.
“The way the Pakistani Army ceased fire at Spin Boldak within ten minutes on our request early this month did reflect that if elements on both sides are receptive to engagement we can salvage the situation for the better.”
- Dr. Omar Zakhilwal (the Afghan ambassador and the special presidential envoy)
Read more: Bringing Afghanistan and Pakistan close: Will China's efforts bear fruit?
To be fair to him, the envoy has been caught between the proverbial deep sea and hard rock ever since he assumed charge over a year ago; because of tensions resulting from a string of high-profile terror attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan, he has kept shuttling between the two capitals as a literal firefighter to douse fires of acrimony arising out of a situation that is a direct result of both bilateral, multi-lateral and geopolitical contexts.
Read full article:
Pak-Afghan ties: A true hope for betterment or yet another false alarm?
Global Village Space |
Imtiaz Gul |
Afghanistan’s Khaama Press news agency on Saturday quoted President Ashraf Ghani as saying that “Pakistan is in isolation but an isolated Pakistan is not in favor of Afghanistan.” The country must be encouraged to refrain from supporting terrorist groups, an obvious reference to the Afghan Taliban’s sanctuaries in the border regions.
Ghani made these remarks during a meeting with local tribal elders of southern Kandahar province Friday evening.
It is an opportunity because President Ghani’s “less hostile and diagnostic” tone on the disadvantages of an “isolated Pakistan” to Afghanistan reflects the realization that such attempts (by India) will only precipitate his country’s fragility and insecurity.
If reported correctly by the news agency, Ghani’s quote on Pakistan offers some glimmer of hope as far as the bilateral relations are concerned, particularly to the context of the bloody exchanges of fire and loss of life in the Spin Boldak district near the Durand Line earlier this month.
Read more: What halts India and Afghanistan from making peace with Pakistan?
Ghani’s remarks coincided with two important statements. One by US Forces in Afghanistan said at least 750 militants affiliated with the Afghan chapter of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – ISIS Khurasan – were killed in the past two-and-a-half months in Afghanistan. Their territory and fighting strength have been reduced two-thirds.
The second statement emanated from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Headquarters. Released May 19 after a stakeholders’ meeting it said all members reaffirmed their commitments to sustainable security in Afghanistan and to their strong partnership with Afghanistan.
For Pakistan, this situation represents both an opportunity as well as challenges.
It is an opportunity because President Ghani’s “less hostile and diagnostic” tone on the disadvantages of an “isolated Pakistan” to Afghanistan reflects the realization that such attempts (by India) will only precipitate his country’s fragility and insecurity.
Also, if one were to go by the optimism of some pro-active and well-meaning Afghan officials, Pak-Afghan acrimony probably has already peaked (because of acts of terrorism in February and March) and now may be heading for de-escalation. They believe that the relationship is not entirely lost yet.
“The way the Pakistani Army ceased fire at Spin Boldak within ten minutes on our request early this month did reflect that if elements on both sides are receptive to engagement we can salvage the situation for the better.”
- Dr. Omar Zakhilwal (the Afghan ambassador and the special presidential envoy)
Read more: Bringing Afghanistan and Pakistan close: Will China's efforts bear fruit?
To be fair to him, the envoy has been caught between the proverbial deep sea and hard rock ever since he assumed charge over a year ago; because of tensions resulting from a string of high-profile terror attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan, he has kept shuttling between the two capitals as a literal firefighter to douse fires of acrimony arising out of a situation that is a direct result of both bilateral, multi-lateral and geopolitical contexts.
Read full article:
Pak-Afghan ties: A true hope for betterment or yet another false alarm?
