Following the opening of Afghan Taliban’s political office in Doha the first round of direct, official talks between the US and the Taliban starts there today to end the 12-year-long war that has had a devastating effect on Pakistan as well. The two sides have been in secret direct talks for a while hosted by Qatar and certain European countries, but the process broke off last year after the US refused to release five Taliban commanders incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay prison that the Taliban leadership wanted as a confidence-building measure. As the US’ December 2014 troop withdrawal date – etched in stone, according to Vice President Joe Biden – draws nearer, the pressure is on to find an honourable exit from the country.
American officials have expressed the hope that the meeting would also open the way for the first official peace talks between President Karzai’s government and the Taliban. The Taliban though have made it clear that there are only two parties to this conflict: the US and them. And that “the talks will be with the Americans only in Doha under the patronage of Qatar. We represent the people of Afghanistan.” They have also made that point, duly accepted by the host government on US’ behalf, in the new office signboard inscription: “The Political Bureau of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Doha.” The Karzai government representatives would be present though at the talks to take forward whatever is decided on their behalf, too, at Doha.
Both the Taliban and the US can claim to be on their way to achieve peace with honour. The US has come to the table to negotiate the terms of its exit, which gives the Taliban the satisfaction of declaring success in ousting foreign occupation. And from the American perspective a vital achievement is a commitment made in a public statement by the Taliban spokesman that they would not allow the use of the country’s territory as a safe haven for foreign extremists. “The movement”, he said, “is not intending to harm any other parties, and will not allow anybody to use Afghan territory to threaten other countries.” The two major honour-related issues settled, there still will be many bumps along the way as they discuss future power-sharing among Afghan factions, the status of women and other issues related to the future of Afghanistan.
Pakistan, accused by the Americans in the past of protecting some Afghan groups and hedging its bets, can pat itself on the back for having played a positive role in bringing the two sides to the negotiating table. Notably, in 1992 the then Nawaz Sharif government too had brokered a power-sharing deal between warring Afghan factions, though it later fell through. A relentless internecine conflict followed fuelled by Pakistani establishment’s own deeply flawed idea of seeking ‘strategic depth’ in another country, culminating in the rise of the Taliban. Hopefully, lessons have been learnt from that misadventure, and the official stance that Pakistan supports an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process is the outcome of a well-considered policy.
Pakistan has been affected by the war in Afghanistan like no other neighbour because of a shared geography and the blood and ethnic ties between Pashtun tribes living astride the Durand Line. It is in its own interest to see peace and normality return to that unfortunate country.
A lot of the old considerations have since been overtaken by new realities and interests. There are a lot of benefits to be had from an Afghanistan at peace with itself. This country badly needs to open up trans-Afghanistan trade and energy routes to the resource-rich Central Asian countries. One such project waiting to take off is the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline. Second, peace will pave the way for the return home of Afghan refugees, easing burden on our troubled economy. Third, considering that certain elements in Afghanistan have been using the refugees’ cover for the furtherance of their own purposes through acts of terrorism, their departure would improve security within this country.
The Karzai government has been turning a blind eye to Pakistan’s concerns, creating instead unnecessary tensions. It did not help the relationship, for instance, when in a blatant disregard for Pakistan’s sensitivities it entered into an agreement with India to have that country train Afghan security forces, allowing its main adversary to gain influence in its western neighbour’s power structure. Then there are some TTP elements, such as the Swat Taliban leader Mullah Fazlullah who along with his men has taken refuge in an adjoining Afghan province, and have continually been using that base to launch attacks on security forces and tribesmen on this side of the border. Karzai has publicly acknowledged the presence of the Pakistani Taliban in his country, without indicating any intention to oust them. When Pakistani forces pursue them, his government hurls angry accusations at them of cross-border firing and harming Afghan population. Such provocative behaviour benefits only the extremists.
Whatever the future power-sharing arrangement in Kabul, the Taliban are to have a major role in it. They have been fighting against foreign occupation, which is a legitimate fight. But their namesakes in Pakistan have very different sectarian and anti-state agendas. That raises several questions, such as that what will be nature of post-Karzai Afghanistan’s relationship with Pakistan? In the past, Mullah Omar’s Taliban provided sanctuary to some of Pakistan’s notorious sectarian terrorists. Those extremists have now become a grave threat to the peace and stability of this country. Will the Afghan Taliban keep their distance in the future from these terrorists? During the ongoing conflict the Afghan Taliban forged closer ties with the TTP which challenges the writ of the Pakistan state. What would be their attitude towards these people if and when they return to Kabul? All these questions need to be sorted out at Doha. Since Pakistan has played a key role in starting the negotiations for a political solution of an endless war, it is hoped the issues concerning its own peace and security would also be addressed effectively.
saida_fazal@yahoo.com
Saida Fazal, "View Point: Afghanistan peace talks," Business recorder. 2013-06-20.Keywords: Political science , Political issues , Political change , Political leaders , Political process , Taliban-Afghanistan , Afghanistan issue , War-Afghanistan , Peace , Extremists , Government-Karzai , Terrorists , Afghanistan