Time for Afghans to Go Back Home

By:       Aasef Chauhdry

Although U.S. officials justified the drone strike that killed Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansur by giving a lame excuse that the Taliban leader planned to attack American or coalition forces in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, some observers firmly believe that the secretive operation that embattled the extremist at a southwest Pakistan hideout represents a shift in how the White House plans to execute the long-running war. The Defense Department repeatedly insisted that they had intelligence that Mansur was actively preparing for some kind of attack that would have likely killed U.S. or coalition soldiers based in Afghanistan – providing the authority to kill him – even though he was in a foreign country at the time. Rules of engagement prohibit targeting Taliban leaders offensively while the US military insisted that the strike corresponded to its policy of protecting Americans and U.S. partners against direct threats.

The Taliban, who emerged as a major force in Afghanistan, during the raging civil war which took a toll of millions of lives, were blamed for their oppressive policies. They reigned after assuming control of nearly 95 percent of Afghan territory and were led by the cleric Mullah Muhammad Omar. When the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, the alleged architect of the 9/11 attacks, the US forces and their allies invaded Afghanistan. Pakistan, which was the supporter of the Taliban, was forced and blackmailed to abandon the Taliban midstream and side with the US. Unfortunately, the US and the allied forces with a great strength and a large number of soldiers failed to hold back the Taliban. Regrouping, the Taliban inflicted devastation on the Allied forces and when the going got tough, looking for pleas to justify their failures, the US started blaming Pakistan for siding with the Taliban. Pakistan was accused of clandestinely supporting the Taliban in their raids on allied forces in Afghanistan and for providing them a safe haven in Pakistan. However, the fact is that the TTA (Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan) is very much operative in most of the places of Afghanistan and is running a parallel govt there. They have their own legal system/ legislation and own control and incidentally they are controlling the most part of Afghanistan.

Last month, the Taliban had refused to sit face-to-face with the government in Kabul under the quadrilateral process comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States. Following the refusal, President Ghani has been under pressure to change his policy on peace and reconciliation with the militant group. In sheer frustration, he is treading the path that was followed by his predecessor, which bore no fruit. Since the Karzai era, a sinking economy, perpetuating corruption and inept security agencies have stained Afghanistan’s domestic environment. No wonder the fault lines that prompt Afghan leadership towards blaming Pakistan for everything that could go wrong in Afghanistan are snowballing. At a time when President Ashraf Ghani should be unveiling a viable political framework for talks with the Afghan Taliban, he has taken a yet harsher stance against Pakistan and the Taliban that could further complicate the peace process. The bitter truth is that the TTA leadership is located/ based in Afghanistan and exercising strict control in most parts of Afghanistan. After the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack outside a building of the National Directorate for Security (NDS) in Kabul on April 19, that killed 64 people and injured more than 300 others, Ghani addressed the joint session of Afghan parliament. He retraced from ongoing attempts to engage Taliban in peace talks. He also articulated executing enemies of state and undertaking preparations for an extended war. Ashraf Ghani who seems to be now a hostage to a camp, said that Afghanistan faced a terrorist enemy led by Taliban “slaves” in Pakistan. He branded the insurgents as criminals, fighting the legitimate government. the attack on NDS headquarters became perhaps the only issue on which the otherwise divided leadership of the disunited Afghan government stands united — blame Pakistan for all failures of Afghan security forces and their American mentors. By playing cat and mice and by annoying Taliban through their underhand methods the US and Afghanistan is only adding fuel to the fire. There is still a silver lining and that is the back channel contacts to convince the Taliban to restart the peace process are still functional but that can only work if the Americans will play fair.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), expressing his serious concern on the US drone strike in Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, the army chief highlighted as to how it had impacted the mutual trust and was counterproductive in consolidating the gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Gen. Raheel Sharif said all efforts for durable peace in the region have to be synergized with shared commitment…all stakeholders need to understand Pakistan’s challenges with regard to porous border, inter-tribal linkages and decades-old presence of over three million refugees.

Blaming Pakistan for instability in Afghanistan is unfortunate. Raising the demand of targeting TTP and Mullah Fazalullah in their bases in Afghanistan, the army chief reiterated Pakistan’s resolve not to allow hostile intelligence agencies’ efforts, especially RAW and NDS, of fomenting terrorism…Pakistan is committed to work for a long term peace process for Afghanistan under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group framework.” The Americans always have the option to target their enemies wherever they are, however, just keeping their eyes closed until they don’t enter Pakistan territories sounds weird and highly unfair. The point is that they may have had visited Pakistan under the garb of Afghan refugees for medical treatment, as thousands of other Afghans are also illegally residing in Pakistan under the cover of refugees while many of them are RAW and NDS agents but the fact is that Taliban undoubtedly remain operational in Afghanistan and cause pain to the Afghans, Indians and the Americans.

The US demands from Pakistan not to support Taliban or Haqqani group but irony is that when Pakistan asked the world to help Pakistan in sending millions of Afghan back then this logical demand is out rightly ignored by everyone. Early and immediate return of Afghan refugees and better border management/ control is essential and the only solution.

Pakistan and Syria: Centers of the Great Game

                                      

                                                        By Sajjad Shaukat

Hans J. Morgenthau opines, “The true nature of the policy is concealed by ideological justifications and rationalization. Therefore, the ideology provides a mask behind which the ulterior motives are concealed…there is a close relationship between interest and ideology…the annexation of the backward states by Great Britain and France as their colonies was described as educating, civilizing and humanitarian mission, a sort of white man’s burden, while the real objective was economic exploitation of the former. Annexation was an act of imperialism. But to disguise it humanitarian ideology was advanced…one of the significant aspects of ideology is that it can be described as a cloak for real foreign policy objective.”

Palmer and Perkins write, “Just as power became the instrument of ambitious nationalism and state’s leaders, it has now become the tool of ideologies…ideologies, in fact, are futile source of international conflict…they can be used to obscure the real facts of a situation or the real motives of ambitious leaders.”

Karl Mannheim also uses ideology in this sense by saying, “In this form the ideas are more or less conscious disguise of the real nature of a situation.”

Hitler and the Nazi Party had come to power with the avowed purpose of conquering colonies and foreign lands for the Germans. They must have a “living space”-‘Lebensraum’ as the Nazis called it for the “living surplus German population and find raw materials and markets for German industrial goods”.

Religious fervour inspired by ‘Hitlerite’ Germany, which was supported by the country’s industrial and financial magnates, wanted to establish its domination first over Europe and then over the entire world.

Similarly, after the 9/11 tragedy, by using the ideologies of colonialism and neo-imperialism (Indirect control), the US-led Western allies attacked and occupied Afghanistan and Iraq, while compelling other Muslim countries and Pakistan to join Bush’s phony war on terror. Under the cover of freedom and democracy, the aim of democratizing Afghanistan and the Middle East was propagated by the United States. But, the real motive behind was to get control over the gas and oil of Central Asia, the Caspian Basin, Iraq and other countries of the Middle East. The pretexts of Osama Bin Laden and Weapons of Mass Destruction were also used in case of Afghanistan and Iraq respectively with a view to rationalizing the objective. While Bin Laden had denied his involvement in the 9/11 catastrophe and no WMDs were found in Iraq.

Influenced by the Zionist planners, Bush’s family, some neoconservatives and the Jews who are well connected to oil and energy companies wanted to enhance their business interests in the pretext of rooting out Islamic militants or terrorism. Under the mask of the so-called war on terror, they also planned to destabilize the Muslim countries to obtain the sinister designs of Israel.

When during the regime of the President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan initiated the construction of Gwadar deep-seaport in Balochistan province in March 2002 with Chinese assistance, sirens went off in the capitals of some European countries, especially the US, India and Israel which took it as a threat to their global and regional plans.

Located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, Balochistan’s Gwadar seaport is close to the Strait of Hormuz from where more than 17 million barrels of oil passes every day. Its ideal location among South Asia, the oil-rich Middle East, and oil and gas-resourced Central Asia has further increased its strategic significance. Besides, Balochistan’s abundant mineral resources irritate the eyes of the US, India and Israel which intend to destabilize Pakistan for their collective aims, as the latter is also the only nuclear country in the Islamic World. However, development in Pakistan’s province of Balochistan has shifted the gravity of the Great Game of Central Asia to Pakistan.

In fact, Pakistan considers that peace in Afghanistan is a guarantee of peace in Pakistan, therefore, has been striving for the same in utter sincerity. Enemies of Afghanistan and Pakistan—India and the US do not intend to see the peace and prosperity in the region. Sadly, Islamabad’s dominant role in Afghanistan’s peace process under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) has been sabotaged by the ill-wishers. Killing of the Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur by the CIA-operated drone attack in Balochistan has badly derailed Afghan dialogue process and violence is likely to surge in Afghanistan. It seems that a dual game is on to pressurize Pakistan to bring Afghan Taliban either for the dialogue or to take action against them. US, India and Israel have built a hostile nexus for the Great Game and are pressurizing Pakistan by limiting its choices.

In this regard, trust deficit has deepened between Pakistan and the America. Therefore, on June 10, this year, a high-level delegation of the US visited Islamabad and met Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif and Adviser to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz Adviser separately.

During the meeting, expressing his serious concern on the US drone strike in Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, Gen. Raheel Sharif highlighted as to how it had impacted the mutual trust and was counterproductive in consolidating the gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists. He elaborated, “All stakeholders need to understand Pakistan’s challenges-inter-tribal linkages and decades-old presence of over three million refugees—blaming Pakistan for instability in Afghanistan is unfortunate—target TTP [Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan] and its chief Mullah Fazlullah in their bases in Afghanistan— Indian RAW and NDS [Afghan National Directorate of Security] are fomenting terrorism in Pakistan.”

Meanwhile, on June 12, 2016, Afghan security forces started unprovoked firing at Torkham border crossing as part of the double game of the anti-Pakistan entities.

However, RAW-Mossad-CIA backed, the Afghan NDS is inflicting harm to Pakistan. With latest capture of six NDS supported terrorists in Balochistan, the number of NDS assisted terrorists arrested and killed by Pakistani Intelligence agencies has crossed over 126. These foreign agencies are also assistine the TTP which is hiding in Nuristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan. Reportedly Mullah Fazlullah led TTP is being prepared to carry out a fresh wave of terror activities inside Pakistan, as the latter is center of the Great Game.

Particularly, CIA, Mossad and RAW which are well-penetrated in the ISIS and TTP are using their terrorists to destabilize Tibetan regions of China, Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan and Pakistan’s Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities. In this connection, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is their special target.

The long and porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is frequently used by the CIA-Mossad backed drug traffickers, criminals and terrorists to cause havoc inside Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It is notable that in response to the $46-billion Pak-China project of CPEC, Washington broadly supported New Delhi and Kabul, signing a deal with Iran for a transport corridor, opening up a new route to Afghanistan via the Iranian port of Chabahar. In this context, during his visit to Tehran, on May 23, 2016, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a deal to develop Iran’s Chabahar port. India will spend $500 million on the project. Chabahar—located about 1,800 kilometres south of Tehran—is more than just a port with an adjoining free trade zone. But, CPEC is much bigger and viable project then Chahbahar.

Notably, on June 13, 2016, a Chinese newspaper, Global Times has blamed India for damaging the prospects of Gwadar by investing in Chahbahar to isolate Pakistan; however, it will not succeed in its designs. The paper elaborated, “Pakistan’s Sindh Province saw a bomb attack against Chinese engineers and small-scale protests against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) recently. Meanwhile, the Pakistani government claimed that anti-CPEC activities by foreign forces have been busted in Baluch Province. At the Beijing Forum held in Islamabad in late May, countries including the US and Japan have shown concerns over CPEC construction and even bluntly criticized the China-Pakistan friendship. CPEC is a significant part of the Belt and Road initiative, which is not only a domestic strategy of China to open up its central and western regions, but also Pakistan's domestic development plan as well as regional integration.”

Nevertheless, the establishment of CPEC between deep Gwadar seaport of Balochistan and the historic Silk Road city in western regions-Xinjiang of China will connect Gilgit-Baltistan through Khunjerab Pass. Beijing would also build an international airport at Gwadar, while the roads infrastructure in Gwadar would link the communication network of rest of the country to facilitate transportation of goods.

When Gwadar seaport becomes fully operational, it would connect the landlocked Central Asian states with rest of the world. Being the commercial hub, the port is likely to increase volume of trade, bringing multiple economic and financial benefits to Pakistan. It will enable high-volume cargo vessels to move in the major oceans, giving China’s short and easy access to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

The recent India-Iran-Afghanistan agreement to develop a trade route from Chabahar to Central Asia has been portrayed by Indian commentators as having changed the historical Great Game for control of the connection between South and Central Asia through Afghanistan. But, the project will remain a dream, as with the collapse of the inter-Afghan negotiations, Afghanistan is likely to witness a further escalation of conflict and chaos. It is also due to unrest in Afghanistan that the US-backed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline did not start.

In 2009, Pakistan and Tehran had signed the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project without New Delhi, as the latter was reluctant in this context owing to its pro-US tilt. Since then, it has been named as the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project. The US had previously threatened Pakistan with sanctions, if it went ahead with the project.

America and Israel are seeing the Chabahar project with suspicion. To bolster its strategic contest with China and Russia, the US is moving towards a military alliance with India. America which is backing Indian hegemony in Asia, especially to counterbalance China is supplying New Delhi latest weapons, arms and aircraft. During President Barack Obama’s second visit to India, the US and India announced a breakthrough on a pact which would allow American companies to supply New Delhi with civilian nuclear technology, as agreed upon in 2008. During Indian Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to America, President Obama strongly assured him to favour India’s membership in the coming meeting of the Nuclear Supplier Group. Earlier, Washington also pressurized the International Atomic Agency (IAEA) to sign an accord of specific safeguards with India. America had already contacted the NSG to grant a waiver to India for starting civil nuclear trade on larger scale.

But, the US-Iran ties could again become hostile, if new sanctions are imposed by the US Congress or differences arise over Iraq, Syria, Hezbollah or Israel. Although Iran’s nuclear issue has been settled, yet Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called it American historical blunder, and is still acting upon a war-like diplomacy against Tehran. If the pro-Israeli Donald Trump becomes American president, he would thwart the US-Iran relationship to secure Israeli dominate in the Middle East.

Now, Islamabad which has ignored the duress of Washington is convincing Tehran to start the implementation of the IPI project. In the recent past, high officials of Iran and Pakistan have met in this respect.

Taking note of US anti-Pakistan schemes, besides China, Pakistan has also cultivated its relationship with the Russian Federation. In 2010, Russian President Putin publicly endorsed Pakistan’s bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which includes Russia, China and four Central Asian Republics as permanent members. Putin remarked that Pakistan was very important partner for Moscow in South Asia and the Muslim world. In various summits, the SCO leaders displayed strength against the US rising dominance in the region and military presence of NATO in Afghanistan, near Central Asia, and are moving towards security cooperation.  After participating in the Summit of the SCO in 2015, Pakistan and Iran got permanent membership of the SCO which is seen as anti-American club.

Nonetheless, due to Balochistan, Pakistan has become center of the Great Game. Therefore, CIA, RAW and Mossad have planned to accelerate acts of terrorism in the country.

As regards Syria, the country is another centre of the Great Game. In case, we see the resources of natural gas reserves in the whole Persian Gulf region, the motives of the CIA-led Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar in financing with billions of dollars to the opposition rebel groups, the Islamic State group (ISIS or ISIL) in Syria are to occupy the natural gas and oil of the Middle East.

Many analysts say that Russia supplies Europe with a quarter of the gas. America and its European allies which are now involved in the Syrian war want to end European dependence on Russia. American President Barack Obama has openly said to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.

According to Charis Chang, “Before the Syrian civil war, two competing pipelines put forward by Qatar and Iran aimed to transport gas to Europe through Syria…Qatar’s plans were first put forward in 2009 and involved building a pipeline from the Persian Gulf via Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. It was hoped the pipeline would provide cheaper access to Europe, but Syrian President Bashar al Assad refused to give permission for the pipeline to go through his territory…failed pipeline bidder Qatar and Saudi Arabia funded anti-Assad rebel groups between 2011 and 2013.”

Turkey which is another NATO member and is also involved in Syrian civil war still supports the plan of the US-led Europe regarding the gas pipeline from the Middle East—Syria to Europe.

F. William Engdahl writes, “In July 2011, Syria, Iran and Iraq signed a gas pipeline energy agreement…take three years to complete in the midst of the NATO-Saudi-Qatari war to remove Assad. The pipeline would run from the Iranian Port Assalouyeh in the Persian Gulf, to Damascus in Syria via Iraq territory…Lebanon’s Mediterranean port where it would be delivered to the huge EU market…the agreement would make Syria the center of assembly and production in conjunction with the reserves of Lebanon…the Iran-Iraq-Syria gas pipeline agreement ignited the full-scale Saudi and Qatari assault on Assad’s power, financing al Qaeda terrorists, recruits of Jihadist fanatics willing to kill Alawite and Shi’ite “infidels” for $100 a month and a Kalishnikov. The Washington neo-conservative war-hawks in and around the Obama White House, along with their allies in the right-wing Netanyahu government, were cheering from the bleachers as Syria went up in flames after spring 2011.”

Engdahl further writes, “Today the US-backed wars in Ukraine and in Syria are but two fronts in the same strategic war to cripple Russia and China and to rupture any Eurasian counter-pole to a US-controlled New World Order. In each, control of energy pipelines, this time primarily of natural gas pipelines—from Russia to the EU via Ukraine and from Iran and Syria to the EU via Syria—is the strategic goal. The true aim of the US and Israel backed ISIS is to give the pretext for bombing Assad’s vital grain silos and oil refineries to cripple the economy in preparation for a “Ghaddafi-”style elimination of Russia and China and Iran-ally Bashar al-Assad. In a narrow sense, as Washington neo-conservatives see it, who controls Syria could control the Middle East. And from Syria, gateway to Asia, he will hold the key to Russia House, as well as that of China via the Silk Road. Religious wars have historically been the most savage of all wars and this one is no exception, especially when trillions of dollars in oil and gas revenues are at stake. Why is the secret Kerry-Abdullah deal on Syria reached on September 11 stupid? Because the brilliant tacticians in Washington and Riyadh and Doha and to an extent in Ankara are unable to look at the interconnectedness of all the dis-order and destruction they foment, to look beyond their visions of control of the oil and gas flows as the basis of their illegitimate power. They are planting the seeds of their own destruction in the end.”

It is of particular attention that according to the retired NATO Secretary General Wesley Clark, a memo from the Office of the US Secretary of Defense just a few weeks after 9/11 revealed plans to attack and destroy the governments in 7 countries in five years, starting with Iraq and moving on to Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Iran. In an interview, Clark said that this strategy is fundamentally about control of the region’s vast oil and gas resources.

However, Russian-supported coalition and Assad’s forces have retaken several territories from the control of the rebels and the ISIS terrorists who are on flee. Recently, Russian-backed Iraqi forces have recaptured the city of Fallujah. It is due to skillful diplomacy of the President Putin that very soon, Syria will be liberated from the hold of the Israeli-led Western powers, including some Arab countries.  

On the other side, Pakistan’s Army and primary intelligence agency ISI are very strong, as they have almost eliminated the CIA-RAW supported TTP and ISIS terrorists in Balolchistan and other areas of the countries. They will castigate the conspiracy against Pakistan, China and Russia.

Although Pakistan and Syria will remain the centers of the Great Game, yet owing to a prolonged war in Afghanistan, proxy wars in Syria and other vulnerable countries like Libya, Yemen and Somalia in wake of the mounting threat of terrorism and rapid increase in the cost of these conflicts which are bringing about multiple internal problems, America and its allies will lose the Great Game.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic_pak@hotmail.com

Courtesy Veterans Today

The new Great Game

By MUNIR AKRAM 

The writer is a former Pakistan ambassador to the UN. THE recent India-Iran-Afghanistan agreement to develop a trade route from Chabahar to Central Asia has been portrayed by Indian commentators as having changed the historical ‘Great Game’ for control of the connection between South and Central Asia through Afghanistan. It has been claimed that the agreement will end India’s ‘isolation’ from Central Asia and Pakistan’s ‘stranglehold’ over Afghanistan and create a ‘new security paradigm’ and a ‘geopolitical shift’.

But the Great Game has already changed. It is being played on a wider canvas with different players and rules. The power contest in Asia is now mainly between China and America, and, to a lesser extent, between America and Russia — with India, Pakistan, Iran and others in subsidiary roles. In this context, the strategic and economic implications of the tripartite agreement are likely to be limited.

Read: US lawmakers question Indian plans for Iran's Chabahar port

Chabahar port has been on the drawing board for many years. Its main purpose was and will remain to expand Iran’s oil and other trade including with India.

Implementation of the trade route to Central Asia will remain challenging until peace can be restored in Afghanistan. With the collapse of the inter-Afghan negotiations, Afghanistan is likely to witness a further escalation of conflict and chaos. Transit to Central Asia via Iran, or Pakistan, is not viable at present.

Read more: Chabahar not a rival to Gwadar, Iranian envoy tells Pakistan

Even once the route is operational, its economic significance will remain modest. India’s oil needs can be met by Iran (and Saudi Arabia). The Central Asians do not have pipelines to Chabahar; they do to China. New gas pipelines are being constructed to Europe. Their mineral resources are also flowing north, east and west; not south.

America is and will remain a major player in the new Asian Great Game.

With a population of only around 50 million, Central Asia will not become a huge market for manufactured goods. It will be twice as expensive for India to send goods to Central Asia through Chabahar than it would be overland across Pakistan. Indian goods are thus unlikely to be competitive against Chinese products shipped overland.

Also read: Lessons from Chabahar

The strategic advantages for India are also questionable. Its influence in Afghanistan will be more dependent on Iran. Pakistan’s cooperation will continue to be essential to restoring peace in Afghanistan. Indian shipping lanes to Chabahar will be vulnerable to disruption. India’s limited influence in Central Asia will not dent that of Russia and China.

The new Great Game will increasingly revolve around China’s One Belt, One Road vision of land and sea connections between Asia, Europe and beyond. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the first component of this ambitious project.

In comparison to the Chabahar route, the strategic and economic implications of CPEC are enormous. It will transform China from a one- to a two-ocean power; enable a part of its $4000 billion annual trade to circumvent the Malacca straits and other potential choke points in the Indian Ocean and shorten China’s supply lines to the Gulf, West Asia and Africa. For these reasons, if no other, China has a vital stake in Pakistan’s strategic stability and socioeconomic development. The Chinese commitment of $46bn for CPEC projects is but the first instalment of the massive capital which China is prepared to deploy in Pakistan.

Instead of being distracted by the moves of its adversaries, Pakistan must remain focused on the implementation of CPEC. This strategic enterprise should not be allowed to be stalled or delayed by external pressure or internal politics, inefficiency or corruption. It would be wise to create a separate and independent CPEC Authority which can be a ‘one-stop-shop’ entrusted with achieving CPEC’s enormous potential for Pakistan’s development. CPEC projects must go beyond infrastructure development to encompass manufacture, consumer goods, housing, health, textiles, finance and other sectors. To this end, the interaction between Pakistani and Chinese private- and public-sector companies must be actively expanded and intensified. Some of the externally imposed limitations on CPEC investment projects, such as restrictions on ‘sovereign guarantees’ for debt finance, need to be removed expeditiously.

CPEC faces threats from Pakistan and China’s adversaries. These will have to be met forcefully.

India’s opposition has been announced openly. New Delhi will continue to utilise Afghanistan as a base to destabilise Pakistan and undermine CPEC. The recent spate of attacks on Chinese workers in Pakistan is no accident. Pakistan will have to further enhance security for them and consider direct action to remove the Afghan-based threat from the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Iran has assured that Chabahar is not designed to compete with Gwadar or CPEC. Pakistan and Iran can cooperate for mutual benefit: to end terrorism in Balochistan, expand trade, and construct the Iranian gas pipeline and a Gwadar-Chabahar economic corridor. However, Tehran often wants to run with the hare and hunt with the hound. Some recent events have sent disturbing signals which Pakistan cannot ignore.

To balance the growing Indo-Iranian relationship, Pakistan must maintain and reinforce its relationship with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. It would be in Pakistan’s interest to help in giving substance and form to the ‘Islamic coalition’ hastily formed by Riyadh. It should also convince the GCC states of the benefits of CPEC as a path to their closer connection with China.

America is and will remain a major player in the new Asian Great Game. To bolster its strategic contest with China, the US is moving towards a military alliance with India. The Obama administration is also cooperating tactically with Iran in the fight against the militant Islamic State group in Iraq and, less clearly, in Syria. It wants Iran to help in stabilising Afghanistan. But the US-Iran relationship could again become hostile if new sanctions are imposed by the US Congress or differences arise over Iraq, Syria, Hezbollah or Israel.

For Islamabad, the major threat now is possible hostile US action to destabilise Pakistan and disrupt CPEC. Wisely, China has invited US participation in CPEC. The US has declared, perhaps diplomatically, that it is not opposed to CPEC. But the signals from Washington, as it hosts India’s Modi, are ominous. The new Great Game is about to get tougher and rougher.

The writer is a former Pakistan ambassador to the UN.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2016

The ‘Great Game’ and Pakistan

                                                

 By Sajjad Shaukat

Located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, Balochistan’s Gwadar seaport is close to the Strait of Hormuz from where more than 17 million barrels of oil passes every day. Its ideal location among South Asia, the oil-rich Middle East, and oil and gas-resourced Central Asia has further increased its strategic significance. Besides, Balochistan’s abundant mineral resources irritate the eyes of the US, India and Israel which intend to destabilize Pakistan for their collective aims, as the latter is also the only nuclear country in the Islamic World. However, development in Pakistan’s province of Balochistan has shifted the Great Game of Central Asia to Pakistan, which has, now, been accelerated.

In fact, Pakistan considers that peace in Afghanistan is a guarantee of peace in Pakistan, therefore, has been striving for the same in utter sincerity. Enemies of Afghanistan and Pakistan—India and the US do not want to see the peace and prosperity in the region. Sadly, Pakistan’s dominant role in Afghanistan’s peace process under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) has been sabotaged by the ill-wishers. Killing of the Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur by the CIA-operated drone attack in Balochistan has badly derailed Afghan dialogue process and violence is likely to surge in Afghanistan. It seems that a dual game is on to pressurize Pakistan to bring Afghan Taliban either for the dialogue or to take action against them. US, India and Israel have built a hostile nexus for the Great Game and are pressurizing Pakistan by limiting its choices.

In this regard, trust deficit has deepened between Pakistan and the America. Therefore, on June 10, this year, a high-level delegation of the US visited Islamabad and met Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif and Adviser to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz Adviser separately.

During the meeting, expressing his serious concern on the US drone strike in Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, Gen. Raheel Sharif highlighted as to how it had impacted the mutual trust and was counterproductive in consolidating the gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists. He elaborated, “All stakeholders need to understand Pakistan’s challenges-inter-tribal linkages and decades-old presence of over three million refugees—blaming Pakistan for instability in Afghanistan is unfortunate—target TTP [Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan] and its chief Mullah Fazlullah in their bases in Afghanistan—Indian RAW and NDS [Afghan National Directorate of Security] are of fomenting terrorism in Pakistan—Pakistan is committed to work for a long term peace process for Afghanistan under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group framework.”

Meanwhile, on June 12, 2016, Afghan security forces started unprovoked firing at Torkham border crossing, resulting in injuries to 16 Pakistani citizens, including the martyrdom of some Pakistani security personnel. Pakistan’s security forces were compelled to give response and skirmishes continued for two days. Although Islamabad and Kabul agreed for a ceasefire and the latter recognized Pakistan’s stand regarding the construction of gate at Torkham border, yet main aim of this latest aggression was part of the double game of the anti-Pakistan entities.

However, in Shawwal valley, Pakistan’s Armed Forces have successfully rooted out militants from its land. These great successes have been achieved through sacrifices, support and resolve of entire nation as well as through the unprecedented accomplishments of Pakistan’s Intelligence agencies.

QCG process was formed to pursue peace in Afghanistan through dialogue. Pakistan successfully hosted first round of the process in Murree. But, the powers opposed to Pakistan could not digest the central role of Pakistan and damaged the future prospects through announcement of death of Taliban Chief Mullah Omar in July 2015.

Parties with the vested interests have often tried to create a perception that Pakistan actually controls the Taliban. Such an impression breeds unrealistic expectations from Islamabad. All concerned parties need to understand the ground realities against their wishes and pursue only the agreed upon peaceful options, leading to solution of the problem rather than finding new solutions.

Besides, Afghan security apparatus is infested with widespread corruption, lack of coordination, ethnic fragmentation, ghost employees and increasing desertion. Most importantly, Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) seems to lack the key elements of will and resolve to match the Taliban. Successes of Taliban in Faryab, Kanduz and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan and mounting causalities of ANSF indicate the level of resistance offered and the state of their morale.   

While, all over the world, the intelligence agencies work for making their country secure, but, the case of the Afghan NDS is strange. This foreign funded, RAW-CIA backed and dominated agency is focused on inflicting harm to Pakistan, instead of securing its own country. Particularly, Indians have enhanced their influence on the Afghan government and turned them against Islamabad through negative propaganda.

With latest capture of six NDS supported terrorists in Balochistan, the number of NDS supported terrorists arrested and killed by Pakistani Intelligence agencies has crossed over 126. The agents were arrested from Peshawar, Swat, Gilgit Baltistan, South Waziristan, Attock, Turnol, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chaman, Quetta and other bordering areas at Pak-Afghan border. In connivance with CIA, RAW and Israeli Mossad, NDS is also assisting TTP which is hiding in Nuristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan. Reportedly Mullah Fazlullah led TTP is being prepared to carry out a fresh wave of terror activities inside Pakistan, as the latter is center of the Great Game.

Particularly, CIA, Mossad and RAW which are well-penetrated in the ISIS and TTP are using their terrorists to destabilize Tibetan regions of China, Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan and Pakistan’s Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities. In this connection, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is their special target. In the recent years, all these militant groups have also kidnapped killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals—and are behind sectarian violence.  

Pakistan’s defenders are extremely alert to foil any attempt to destabilize their country. However Pakistan faces the problem of the presence of over three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, mostly illegal.

It is mentionable that the long and porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is frequently used by human and drug traffickers, criminals and terrorists. The easy access through unguarded porous border provides opportunity to miscreants to cause havoc inside Pakistan and Afghanistan. For effective counter terrorism measures strong border control management is vital at Pak-Afghan border. Islamabad’s desire to fence the border is reflective of country’s willingness to stand by the commitment for peace and not to allow its land to be used for terrorism in Afghanistan.

It is of particular attention that during the Musharraf regime when Islamabad initiated the construction of Gwadar deep-seaport in Balochistan in March 2002 with Chinese assistance, sirens went off in the capitals of foreign countries, especially the US, India and Israel which took it as a threat to their global and regional plans.

It is notable that in response to the $46-billion Pak-China project of CPEC, Washington broadly supported New Delhi and Kabul, signing a deal with Iran for a transport corridor, opening up a new route to Afghanistan via the Iranian port of Chabahar. In this context, during his visit to Tehran, on May 23, 2016, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed 12 agreements with Tehran, including a deal to develop Iran’s Chabahar port. India will spend $500 million on the project, with a plan to invest an additional $ 16 billion in the Chabahar free trade zone. Chabahar—located about 1,800 kilometres south of Tehran—is more than just a port with an adjoining free trade zone. But, CPEC is much bigger and viable project than Chahbahar, if Pakistan develops the project with speed, efficiency and transparency, it needs not be worried about Chabahar.

In the recent past, Indian Prime Minister Modi visited Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Indians are trying to squeeze Pakistan’s influence and space with these countries. Islamabad may approach these countries and brief at appropriate levels about the negative fallout of the current Indian move. Idea should be to convince these countries not to get close to India due to Indian closeness with Iran.

Pakistan’s concerns regarding presence of Indians in Chabahar and its security implications, especially after the arrest of RAW spy Kulbushan in Pakistan and his confession for Pakistan and Iran must be conveyed to Tehran. A strategy should be chalked out to counter Indian right from the outset. Indian and Israeli closeness may also be played up in Iran to discredit Chabahar project domestically.

Notably, on June 13, 2016, a Chinese newspaper, Global Times has blamed India for damaging the prospects of Gwadar by investing in Chahbahar to isolate Pakistan; however, it will not succeed in its designs. The paper elaborated, “Pakistan’s Sindh Province saw a bomb attack against Chinese engineers and small-scale protests against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) recently. Meanwhile, the Pakistani government claimed that anti-CPEC activities by foreign forces have been busted in Baluch Province. At the Beijing Forum held in Islamabad in late May, countries including the US and Japan have shown concerns over CPEC construction and even bluntly criticized the China-Pakistan friendship. CPEC is a significant part of the Belt and Road initiative, which is not only a domestic strategy of China to open up its central and western regions, but also Pakistan's domestic development plan as well as regional integration.”

Nevertheless, the establishment of CPEC between deep Gwadar seaport of Balochistan and the historic Silk Road city in western regions-Xinjiang of China will connect Gilgit-Baltistan through Khunjerab Pass. Beijing would also build an international airport at Gwadar, while the roads infrastructure in Gwadar would link the communication network of rest of the country to facilitate transportation of goods.

When Gwadar seaport becomes fully operational, it would connect the landlocked Central Asian states with rest of the world. Being the commercial hub, the port is likely to increase volume of trade, bringing multiple economic and financial benefits to Pakistan like the Suez Canal which changed the destiny of Egypt when Israel returned it to the former. It will enable high-volume cargo vessels to move in the major oceans, giving China’s short and easy access to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

America which is backing Indian hegemony in Asia to counterbalance China is supplying New Delhi latest weapons, arms and aircraft at the cost of Islamabad. During President Barack Obama’s second visit to India, the US and India announced a breakthrough on a pact which would allow American companies to supply New Delhi with civilian nuclear technology, as agreed upon in 2008.

Setting aside the Indian irresponsible record of non-proliferation, and safety of nuclear arms, Washington also pressurized the International Atomic Agency (IAEA) to sign an accord of specific safeguards with India. America had already contacted the NSG to grant a waiver to India for starting civil nuclear trade on larger scale.

In this regard, during the recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to America, Addressing the media, Prime Minister Modi said, “I am thankful for the help and support that my friend Barack Obama has extended with regard to India’s membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).”

Nonetheless, due to Balochistan, Pakistan has become center of the Great Game. Therefore, CIA, RAW and Mossad have planned to accelerate acts of terrorism in the country.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Drones are drowning the peace process

By:       Aasef Chauhdry
Since 2004, the US government has attacked thousands of targets in North West Pakistan using drones controlled by the Special Activities Division of CIA. Most of these attacks are on targets in the FATA along the Afghan border in Northwest Pakistan. These strikes began during the George Bush junior’s time and have increased substantially under his successor Barack Obama. In western media its referred as a “drone war”. Surveys have shown that the strikes are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, where they have contributed to a negative perception of the USA. Though the US administration has publicly claimed that civilian deaths from the attacks are minimal, nevertheless, the leaked military documents reveal that the vast majority of people killed have not been the intended targets, with approximately 13% of deaths being the intended targets, 81% being other militants, and 6% being civilians. The killing of more innocents and just 4% of the criminals in drone strikes in FATA is the net achievement of these monstrous drone strikes. During thirteen years about 423 drone attacks were carried out in a war alley’s air space, killing three thousand seven hundred and seventy five innocents and just few militants.
Undoubtedly Pakistan has done more than its power to cut back militancy and wipe out elements of anti-state aggression. Pakistan has gone beyond its resources to fight war against terrorism and irrefutably it is victorious in it. However in this war against terrorism Pakistan had to come across drones which initially US claimed that they are for surveillance but later it turned out to be camel in and Abdullah out when these recee missions converted into armed drones strikes thus indicated more of collateral damage than targeting terrorists. These strikes by an external force not only cause collateral damage but they were clearly violation of one country’s air space too.
In a recent drone strike carried out on 21 May, 2016 Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed while coming from Iran but was chosen to be targeted in Pakistani territory only, because of fragile relations with Iran. This killing of Taliban leader not only halted peace process which was going on for regional peace and stability but raises serious questions on US policies towards Pakistan. According to Pakistan’s standpoint these attacks are clear violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. On March 28, 2014, UN Human Rights Council voted (27 to 6) to approve a Pakistan-sponsored resolution titled, “Ensuring use of remotely piloted aircraft or armed drones in counter-terrorism and military operations in accordance with international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law”. These attacks not only generate distrust among local population particularly when operation Zarb e Azb is near its completion.
Drone attacks are clear violation of international laws and open act of aggression damaging sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan. The latter’s military and the civilian leadership, both political and bureaucrat, pondered over the issue of drone attacks and issued a statement that “Drone attacks are clear violation of international laws and open act of aggression damaging sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan.” With one voice they echoed that collateral damage caused by drone attacks is clear violation of international human rights. The Noshki drone attack not only shows a trust deficit of US on her allies but has spoiled peace process and reflects a clear impression of US betrayal on dialogue process.
On the other hand US while misinterpreting Article 51 in Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter maintains its view that it is operating within the states’ right of self-defence and that US is involved in an armed conflict with al Qaeda, the Taliban, and their affiliates and therefore may use force consistent with self-defence under international law. Lets ignore US perspective for a while and read UN charter on legality of drone strikes; Article 2(4) of the UN Charter clearly states that all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state so there is no justification of conducting strikes inside Pakistan’s territory. The US has mostly used the principle of self-defence to justify these drone strikes, but Pakistan is not directly involved in any conflict with US, so this claim of US stands nowhere. International Human Rights law, also known as ‘Law of War and the law of armed conflict’, is the legal framework applicable to situations of armed conflict and occupation. Its Article 51(3) of the 1977 First Protocol Additional to the 1949 Geneva Conventions mentioned that civilians shall not be targeted, unless they are directly involved in the fighting. Therefore, the Drone Strikes violate Article 2 of the Geneva Convention (IV) Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War by disregarding the human rights of the innocent civilians killed in the strikes.
On the other hand the American double standards are the main cause of ever rising problems. On one

Damadola, PAKISTAN: (FILES) In this picture taken 25 January 2006, a Pakistani tribesman sifts through the debris of his collapsed home after a 13 January, US air strike in the remote village of Damadola,in Bajur Tribal Agency bordering Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri escaped death in a US missile strike last month on a remote tribal village bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said. The January attack killed a close relative of al-Zawahiri and four other militants, Pakistan military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan quoted Musharraf as saying 12 February. AFP PHOTO/Tariq MAHMOOD/FILES (Photo credit should read TARIQ MAHMOOD/AFP/Getty Images)

hand they demand Pak support for dialogue and on the other hand whenever Pakistan makes a sincere effort, the same moment the hard work is sabotaged deliberately by some untimely suspicious American act. In the past it was done when the Afghan leaders were gathered here in Pakistan, the Taliban Amir Mullah Omar was assassinated and now they have again spoiled the peace endeavors by targeting Taliban Chief with drone putting Pakistan in to a difficult position. Pakistan has literally pissed off by such immature and notorious American games. Hence on June 10, this year, when a high-level delegation of the US, including Gen. John Nicholson, Commander Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, and Ambassador Richard Olson, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan visited Islamabad and met Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif apart from regional Security Situation, with particular reference to border management and peace and stability in Afghanistan in the post-21 May US drone strike environment also came under discussion. Expressing his serious concern on the US drone strike in Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, the army chief highlighted as to how it had impacted the mutual trust and was counterproductive in consolidating the gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Gen. Raheel Sharif cautioned the Americans that all efforts for durable peace in the region have to be synergized with shared commitment and all stakeholders need to understand Pakistan’s challenges with regard to porous border, inter-tribal linkages and decades-old presence of over three million refugees.
Pakistan has rendered innumerable sacrifices in men and material and has always condemned such action which is a cause of regional instability. However, it’s not Pakistan’s sole responsibility. It’s time for the Americans and other stakeholders for the peace in the region to stop playing smart. Especially the Americans will have to seize their UAV missions forthwith if they really need Pakistan to play her part for the peace in the region.

Pakistan: A Boulder Hinging on a Rock’s Tip

On May 6, this year, in an emotive moment, Obama embraced 79-year-old Shigeaki Mori, who survived the inhuman and first ever nuclear attack as an eight years old innocent child.  At the occasion Obama said everything about ethics and humanity but couldn’t pick up the guts to extend an apology because that needs courage and a character. This pompous and arrogant side of US is not something new. Dig out the history and there is not a single incident where one will find them extending apology over their glaring mistakes, wrong doings and shameful acts, may that be dropping atom bombs on innocent people, killing Kongs in Vietnam, brutality and war crimes against the Iraqis, ruthless murder of Afghans or killing more innocents and just 4% of the criminals in drone strikes in FATA. Who can forget about that famous blood bath given by the American drones thus killing 18 harmless civilians in Damadola? This all comes to one’s mind when the American president suddenly forgetting all the efforts, sacrifices and gigantic contribution made by Pakistan in GWOT, turned indifferent and while standing beside a fanatic demanded from Pakistan to punish Pathankot and Mumbai attacks’ perpetrators but the most alarming for war on terror’s alley was, according to India the status of ‘major defence partner.
Pakistan is shocked and bamboozled not over forging of this suspicious alliance but over America’s traditional selfish attitude which is not understood. Finally, it has forced Pakistan to seriously start thinking about realigning its relations with America. Despite the partner after giving company for 36 holes, to a golfer is still treated as a caddy then what’s the fun in wasting time? It’s evident through Pakistan’s behaviour after the recent drone strike against the Taliban Chief that the country’s high ups are of the view that, ‘enough is enough’. The summoning of American ambassador by the army chief of a country should not be lightly. The US envoys don’t pay heed to even the governments, while in Pakistan this precedence is quite rare.
It is very unfortunate that Pakistan who dedicatedly fought the GWOT right in the face of it was never appreciated for its noteworthy contribution and great sacrifices in terms of human life, collateral damage and economic losses during the last fifteen years, as a frontline state. It is a globally known fact that Pakistan’s economy suffered huge losses, in terms of exports, foreign investment, privatization and industrial production, due to turmoil in Afghanistan. Even now, Pakistan’s national economy is exclusively suffering a loss of roughly $10 billion annually as fallout of the war against terror, which has displaced thousands of people. Pakistan did all what it could do to keep the world safe but what it has got in return? During thirteen years about 423 drone attacks were carried out in a war alley’s air space, killing three thousand seven hundred and seventy five innocents. Pakistan is the only country who is facing the music of terrorism all by itself. No one can deny the sacrifices. So far, roughly well over two thousand Pakistani army officers and soldiers have been killed in the fighting which includes half a dozen of star studded generals as martyrs, too.
If, after such toll Pakistan has to listen to the useless and illogical warnings then the only choice left with us is to part our ways. Our policy makers should be sane enough to sense and smell the shift in American foreign policy and probably they have sniffed it. The recent bitter reactions by the foreign office reps, interior minister and the Army Chief’s blunt warnings seem to be an outcome of that anger.
Before showing eyes to Pakistan, the US should remember those days when the war against the Soviets was won with the help of Pakistan and surely by Afghans. “At the moment, Russia is too weak and unstable to exert any serious influence on the CARs but who knows when the time takes an abrupt turn? If one thing was in the US’s favour in the past, why can’t it be in Russia’s favour in the near future? If the US does not take much time in naming their friends (Pakistan and Afghans) as foes today, who stops the sons of the soil from joining hands with their once enemy Russia again?”
Why must the US forget that time can’t change the strategic importance of a country like Pakistan? It’s a boulder balancing on the tip of a rock. We all know the horrific outcome of disturbing that boulder. May be not a single person from the village down in the valley survives to narrate the wrath. It’s high time for the US to keep few facts in mind before chanting the mantra to do more:

• Unfortunately, the stick and carrot policy won’t work anymore. Pakistan is no more a caddy and you won’t find anyone to help you in case your ball lands in rough this time. The fact is that the Indians aren’t a part of this golf course.
• We all know that what all India and US will get out of recent defense pact which is going to allow both the countries to jointly use the assets against their enemies. Everyone knows who the enemy is now. However, US must do away with this narcissistic approach and must look back and see what all Pakistan has done in war on terror as the US’s partner. It was a bad decision by some ignorant to be the part of this GWOT but someone in a position now, may go against that and makes a reimburse attempt.
• It would be nothing more than day dreaming if Americans are expecting peace in the region without involving Afghan Taliban and while involving India in Afghanistan. It would be a beginning of a journey back to the 80s. They must remember that no harm could ever be done to the genuine Taliban of Afghanistan. They are sane and sons of the soil and without involving them in any parleys, peace in Afghanistan can never prevail or prosper.
• A common Pakistani has started realizing that the latest forming up of a league by the Americans, Indians, Afghanistan and Iran is merely to thwart CPEC and bring Pakistan on knees. This one eyed justice will only cause frustration and hate for America and the West among a common Pakistani and what all so called friendly gestures being displayed by the US embassy will go for six.
• Obama did remember to stand with India against terrorists groups allegedly basing in Pakistan but where does his morality stand in case of RSS terrorists burning a train of innocent passengers, nabbing of a serving Indian officer in Pakistan with his pants down and attack on Pakistani forces and innocent citizens from the Afghan soil? I am sure the drones are well aware about the locations of the terrorists on the Afghan soil too? Hope he knew about the fanatic gentleman whom he received as the state guest?
• And lastly that Pakistan is genuinely a nuclear state and any thought of destabilising it by any quarter would be sheer insane. Never forget about that boulder hinging on a rock’s tip. Americans are in a habit of carrying out adventures and eventually turning them into misadventures as in the case of Iraq and Afghanistan.

In case of another miscalculation or misadventure, probably no one will live to extend an apology. I don’t know about the policy makers at the helm of the affairs in Pakistan but in my humble opinion the countdown for Pakistan has already started.

Blaming Pakistan for Afghan Ills Will Not Solve the Problem

Ishaal zehra

Peace was restored at the Pak-Afghan Torkham border on Wednesday after the intense episode of cross firing which began soon after the construction of gate at a check-post on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line started. The Pakistani effort of preventing the entry of militants through Torkham border somehow annoyed the Afghans who triggered unprovoked firing on the Pakistani security forces late on Sunday. After four days of cross exchange of heavy artillery, a seize-fire was reported on the border area. The area remained calm, but naturally tense.

This development took place only after the telephonic conversation between Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal and Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, media sources say. Diplomatic sources even said that Zakhilwal also met high-ups of the Pakistan Army at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The ambassador then went back to Afghanistan and returned to Pakistan on Wednesday after attending the national security conference in Kabul. It was learnt that both Pakistan and afghan side has agreed on a ceasefire and laid stress on the need for resolving the Torkham border issue through dialogue.

Despite agreeing to cease fire and hoisting white flags on both sides of the border, Afghan forces resorted to unprovoked firing late on Wednesday night. Pakistani forces retaliated to the firing as a result of which, reportedly, two FC soldiers were injured. The injured were transported to a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Umar Zakhilwal denied that he had agreed to any ceasefire at Torkham during his meeting with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. Resorting to a quite unofficial way of communication, the Afghan ambassador in a statement on Facebook rejected the impression that he agreed to the construction of a gate at Torkham and a ceasefire. Though earlier, media claims, Omar Zakhilwal said he met Pakistani officials and the countries had “agreed on a ceasefire”.

According to a Political Administration official, white flags were raised on both sides of the border later in the day. Construction work on the gate started at 9am and no incident of firing took place, as work resumed later in the evening. But later that day, an exchange of heavy artillery was seen at the main Khyber Pass border crossing between Pakistan and Afghan troops.

The Pakistan Army’s Major Ali Jawad Changezi, who had sustained injuries in the first episode of firing by the afghan army died at hospital, while many Afghan soldiers were killed in the fierce exchange of fire in which light and heavy weapons were used. Reportedly, several locals on both sides were also wounded in the clashes.

Though relations between the US allies never remained closed after the end of soviet war and this was basically because of the unrefined US policy who left the region without any concrete policy for the abandon afghan Talibans. But the Pak-Afghan relations further strained over the past 15 years after the elected Afghan regime started accusing Pakistan for supporting the Taliban who were fighting to unseat the US-backed government in Kabul. The point to understand was that Pakistan was and is still home to 2.7 million Afghan refugees. For the past three decades Pakistan has been providing them with food and shelter and education. A majority of them are unwilling to go back to the war-torn country which they feel unsafe for their children. These refugees are relatives of Afghans living on the other side of border and use the border to frequently visit their land. Apart from these common Afghans, the Taliban also use the facility in the guise of commoners.

Pakistan cannot let the Taliban enter the land and use Pakistan as a proxy for their larger plans and building the gate for security check was meant for this purpose. The border gate it is building is well on its side of the border and will help stop militants from crossing and help fight drug trafficking. Pakistan’s foreign policy chief, Sartaj Aziz, expressed concern over what he called the Afghan army’s attempts to “disrupt border management efforts” by Pakistan.   

Afghanistan objects to all Pakistani construction on a 2,200-km border… meaning they object to peace in Pakistan. Previous ceasefire deals announced over the last few days were swiftly broken. Wednesday was the first day in recent days when no exchange of fire took place at the Torkham border. The peace brought a sense of relief to the people living in the border area as the people hoped that the issue would be resolved peacefully.

On the Afghan side they have been, in general, calling the US to intervene into the matter. The Afghan government has asked the US to put pressure on Islamabad to step back. But the US has ruled out any mediation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Afghan government should understand by now that the issues we have are to be solved bilaterally. Pakistan is the only country who is sincere in its efforts in bringing peace in Afghanistan, mainly because we are sharing the burden of not only Afghan refugees but the Taliban threat also. If these three million Afghan refugees, who are being provided refugee for three decades, go back, Pakistan would neither be blamed for hosting Quetta Shoora nor to the Haqqani network.