ISLAMABAD: The experts at a seminar, on Saturday, said that Pakistan should avoid oversimplifying the threat emanating from Afghanistan as it needs to deal with the situation carefully in the wake of recent developments in the neighbouring country.
Speaking at a seminar titled, “Supporting the Afghan peace process: Pakistan’s position, interests, and policy options” organised by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), they said that there seems no end to the “great game” in Afghanistan, and Pakistan should be careful and adopt a regional approach by taking onboard regional countries including Russia, China, Iran, and even the Central Asian States to move forward on the issue of Afghanistan.
Opening the debate, ex-corps commander Peshawar and ex-ambassador Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Masood Aslam said that stable and peaceful Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan.
“Pakistan’s major objective should be that how peace in Afghanistan could be ensured and for this purpose, we need to show patience and engagement towards the entire world,” he added.
Zeeshan Khanzada, a senator of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), argued that Afghan issue has had a direct impact on the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s security and economy as they had suffered a lot in the past – both in security and economic terms. “We want a long-lasting peace in Afghanistan,” he added.
Former senator Afrasiab Khattak predicted that Afghanistan would face further destabilisation as a “new great game” has started there. “Now is the time for Pakistan to form a new Afghan policy based on a bilateral framework,” he added.
He said that Pakistan should resolve Afghan refugees’ issue and adopt a policy of regional integration as efforts are under way to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Qibla Ayaz stressed the need for ‘religious cleric diplomacy’, saying the clerics who have some influence on Taliban can play an important role to broaden the engagement with the Taliban-led Afghan government. He said that local nationalist parties should also be taken onboard who also have influence over other groups in the neighbouring country.
Professor Zafar Nawaz Jaspal of Quaid-i-Azam University said that India and religion were two realities in Pakistan and both held major significance in its domestic and foreign policies. “It is illogical if you think that there is no proxy in Afghanistan … war economy is there,” he said.
He reminded that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups were former allies of Taliban, adding the best option for Pakistan is to beef up security at the borders.
Ex-senator Farhatullah Babar said that Pakistan should not recognise Taliban regime but he did say that abandoning the people of Afghanistan would have spill over effect on Pakistan. He underscored the need for making a refugee law to settle the issue of Afghan refugees living in the country.
Haroon Rashid, a senior journalist and an expert on Afghan affairs, said that there seemed no end to the “great game” in Afghanistan, which may result in exploitation of some militant groups present in the country for a proxy war by other countries.
Ex-foreign secretary Inamul Haq said that Pakistan should avoid giving the impression that the “triumph of Taliban was its own victory” as it has little options at this front including to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. “Pakistan should tell the world that neither we are interlocutors nor message carriers for Taliban,” he added.
PIPS Director Muhammad Amir Rana in his welcome remarks said that Pakistan needed to pursue its geo-strategic interests that were political and economic in nature.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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