Dr. Naveed Elahi
For the first time, for a change, the government of Pakistan is not ambivalent on its stance on the Taliban government of Afghanistan. It has taken tough decisions, like return of undocumented Afghan nationals, implementation of visa regime, regulating the movement at Pak-Afghan borders, etc., and has not wavered in implementing them. Despite the earnest desire to have good relations with Afghanistan, it has learnt to return in the same coin. It is a reaction to the fact that Taliban government has showed little seriousness to put the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, operating against Pakistan from its soil, on short leash. TTP militants’ incessant forays inside Pakistan have resulted in numerous casualties of police and forces personnel and civilians too. Pakistan’s repeated pleas have fallen on the deaf ears of the Afghan Taliban hierarchy.
Pakistan’s three-pronged Afghan strategy might not be ideal for the relations between the two countries but in the given circumstances security of Pakistan and its citizens has to be given precedence over other considerations. Pakistan, as stated earlier, desires to have good relations with Afghanistan and strives for it through diplomatic endeavours and exchange of delegations; secondly, it has strictly regulated the presence and movement of illegal Afghan nationals, many of whom are involved in anti-state and criminal activities, and third, zero-tolerance on TTP activities and attacks from the Afghan soil.
In pursuance of the third aspect, the security forces of Pakistan killed ten terrorists while another three were injured in two separate operations in the North Waziristan district. Four terrorists were killed during an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO) last week. During the follow-up sanitization operation, four more terrorists were successfully neutralized by the security forces. In another operation in North Waziristan district, movement of five terrorists, who were trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces. After an intense exchange of fire, two terrorists namely Hazrat Umer and Rehman Niaz were killed while three other terrorists injured.
Followed by this effective action was the umpteenth advice by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) to the interim Afghan government to implement efficient border management practices on their side. Pakistan expects the interim government of Afghanistan to honor its responsibilities by preventing terrorists from using Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan. Their support to TTP or slackness to control them smacks of willful violation of Doha Agreement by the Taliban government. This propensity has not only added toxicity in the relations but hindered the trade between the two countries. It cannot be denied that economic stability is the first need of both the countries.
Furthermore, Taliban government must understand that they are not a ragtag force fighting an asymmetrical war against the invaders and their compatriots. They are the rulers who have responsibilities to establish good relations with the neighbours, ensure peace in the country and in the region and bridle the armed groups of terrorists operating from their soil. Sans this realization it is not possible to have normal relations with Pakistan and other countries of the world. Pakistan is eager to respond in the same spirit.
The author is Editor of The Strategic Brief
