Page 10 - The Indian EYE 121622

OPINION DECEMBER 16, 2022 | The Indian Eye 10

Emerging Fault Lines

between Pakistan and the

Afghan Taliban

People who had wished the Taliban in Kabul well were hopeful that Pakistan would not have to support the US

efforts in the region anymore. It pleased the anti-America forces in the country which hoped that the allegedly

pro-India leaders like Karzai or Ghani would be out of Afghanistan’s politics

NAZIR AHMAD MIR

t is said that in politics there are
no permanent friends or ene-
Imies, there are only permanent
interests. Therefore, politicians,
particularly the rulers of a country,
assess long-term implications of the
policies that they pursue and take
decisions accordingly. The latest rise
in terror attacks in Pakistan indicate
that the government and the security
institutions in the country have failed
to calculate the implications of their
direct/indirect support to the Taliban.
The threat is compounded by the fact
that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
has announced ending of the cease-
fire agreed to in November 2021. Im-
mediately after the announcement, a
suicide attack in Quetta, Balochistan
killed three and injured many people.
Insurgents across the world have
been able to use their transnational
links and support to survive as well as
garner support. They do not stay loyal
to only one patron, howsoever close
they may have been at one point in
time. The Taliban are no exception to
this rule. The jubilations in Pakistan over the Taliban victory in Afghanistan, therefore, did not last long.
The Pakistani state, as advised
by many, both internally as well ex- Expectedly, the Taliban focused on their national interests once they were back in power
ternally, did not factor in the implica-
tions of Taliban’s nationalistic stand commented on the Taliban’s takeover Hope versus Reality it was hoped that ties between Paki-
as well as the challenges they would that the Afghans had “broken the stan and Afghanistan will improve
face once the Taliban reclaimed Ka- shackles of slavery” Many in Pakistan eople who had wished the Tali- significantly. Islamabad threw its full
bul. Overlooking these factors, Is- “celebrated” the US withdrawal from ban in Kabul well were hopeful weight behind the Taliban expecting
lamabad seems to have committed a Afghanistan and the Taliban’s arrival Pthat Pakistan would not have to that it would help Pakistan in elimi-
strategic blunder. in Kabul for various reasons. support the US efforts in the region nating the TTP, which posed a major
Pakistan was jubilant about the None of them, however, could anymore. It pleased the anti-Ameri- security threat to Pakistan. When
removal of the Ashraf Ghani govern- fully comprehend the reality that the ca forces in the country which hoped many countries were expressing their
ment in Kabul, less so about the with- Taliban, after they were back in pow- that the allegedly pro-India leaders reservations about Taliban’s ideology
drawal of the United States (US)- er in Kabul, were likely to operate as like Karzai or Ghani would be out of and their approach to women, girls
led troops on 15 August 2021. Then a state, with their own priorities and Afghanistan’s politics. More impor- and minorities, then Foreign Minister
Prime Minister Imran Khan had challenges. tantly, with the Taliban back in Kabul, Continued at next page... >>

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