- After another US blunder in Afghanistan
The US-Afghan Taliban peace deal in Doha was seen by many as a major step towards ending the 19-year-long war in Afghanistan. An intra-Afghan dialogue was to follow within weeks to negotiate a comprehensive nationwide ceasefire and the USA was to begin to withdraw more than 4000 troops from Afghanistan in the next week or so. Among other things the US-Taliban agreement appeared to commit Kabul to releasing up to 5000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for 1000 prisoners from the other side. It seems that the commitment was made without taking Afghan President Ashraf Ghani or US Defence Secretary Karl Esper into confidence, as both had earlier on the same day issued a joint statement in Kabul with an altogether different position on prisoner exchange. According to the Kabul statement, the Afghan government was to take part in a US-facilitated discussion with Taliban representatives on CBMs that would include determining the feasibility of releasing significant numbers of prisoners on both sides. President Ghani rejected the proposal to release the Taliban prisoners whom he wanted to use as a leverage during the intra-Afghan talks with the Taliban.
This turned out to be the second setback to the Afghan peace process within months. Unhappy over the Afghan government’s refusal to release their prisoners, the Taliban have initiated attacks on Afghan security forces. On Wednesday, the USA conducted its first airstrike against the Taliban in support of the Afghan forces. The intra-Afghan peace talks are for the time being off the agenda. Fear has returned to Afghanistan; so has uncertainty.
Pakistan has over the years adhered to its oft repeated “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” peace formula. This time Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi chose to advise the Afghan President to show flexibility in his approach to the peace efforts. Kabul, however, objected to Mr Qureshi’s advice, calling it interference in the internal matters of Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s best interests are served by letting the Afghans make their own decisions. Pakistan should be willing to welcome and work with any government that takes over in Kabul, irrespective of whether it is headed by Mr Ghani, or Mr Abdullah Abdullah or someone else. It should show no special inclination for any of the several contenders for power.
