Evolving Afghan situation and its implications: Rabbani asks whether war has really ended

KARACHI: Former chairman senate, Raza Rabbani has said that no doubt public opinion is paramount for any state but there are some historical mistakes which you can't precise even if you want to.

This was stated by him while addressing a seminar organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi and The Intellectual's Forum here on Sunday on the complex issues of Afghanistan and its implications. The event was attended by the political leaders, literary personalities, governing body, and the members of the council.

Raza Rabbani said that today it seems that the Afghan war is over, but is it really over? You have seen that since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, sleeper cells have become active in Pakistan. "The United States believes that Pakistan has a hand in their defeat, but if the United States has to find the root cause, they should start an investigation with Clinton's interview," he added.

The former chairman senate further stated that when the refugees came here, instead of stopping them, we settled them particularly in Sindh, and today, if we are thinking that they will go back, we are in a trance. Whenever there was talk of evacuating refugees, the Prime Minister said that we are under pressure.

Expressing his views on the occasion former CM of Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said, "The question is that whether there will be peace in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of America? Afghanistan itself is a complicated region and of course, soon this circumstance is going to affect Pakistan. The question is will Afghanistan build a democratic and federal system? Will the media be free? Today all our neighbouring countries are highly disappointed with us and we are all dependent on China, and this will have a very negative impact."

Addressing the seminar, former Mayor of Karachi and the chairman of PSP Mustafa Kamal said that in our view, the war in Afghanistan is not over. People who are celebrating victory and defeat are not aware of the situation when 49 countries analyze themselves; they will realise why they are embarrassed over the situation.

"Since the day Kabul was conquered, the conflicts have begun in Balochistan and Waziristan. This war should not be shifted from Afghanistan to Pakistan. If we want the best for this country we should take some serious steps, we have to end the conflicts of the government and the opposition. Millions of people have died in Karachi in the last forty years just because of the contradiction. If people still won't own this land then we should be prepared to face the same situation as Afghans," Kamal added.

Activist Ayaz Latif Palijo said the general impression that Afghanistan is being persecuted is correct to some extent. As neighbours, all Afghanis are our brothers and sisters. Those who read the history of Afghanistan know that there has never been a popular government in Afghanistan; it was always ruled by some family kingdoms. The first revolution in Afghanistan was primarily an internal one, with no foreign intervention. There are many other countries on the border of Afghanistan. But the whole burden is being placed only on Pakistan.

"Our foreign policy is very weak, and the most debated, our neighbouring countries are not happy with us. Whatever the problems Afghanistan is facing, they are still not considering Pakistan as their friend. Pakistan's foreign policy became questionable. Our language, culture, and economy everything is under threat. We do not have good relations with India; we are trying to move towards Russia's strategy. We are depending on China and China is an emerging big power in this region," said politician Mehtab Akbar Rashidi.

Speaking on the occasion Ashfaq Memon said that the question is why it happened in Afghanistan that after the US had been there for such a long time that they had to leave within a period of two and a half years. There are some things that complicate matters. Afghanistan today is not what it was twenty years ago. We have to understand where Afghanistan is going.

Dr Prof Mehboob in his speech said, "No matter whoever is leading the government of Pakistan or Sindh, and whatever improvements they will try to make but no one can handle the population of this city with the limited resources we have, no matter who the administrator is, refugees are coming on a daily basis. Whatever the situation in Afghanistan, not a single refugee should come to Karachi. The government should set up tents on the borders to help Afghans. The three million Afghan refugees we have should also get back now."