- After Dr Abdullah’s three-day-long mission
While the Doha dialogue between Afghan and Taliban negotiators remains bogged down on principles and procedures, the three day long parleys between senior Afghan peace official Abdullah Abdullah and Pakistan’s leadership create a perception of both sides turning a new leaf in their relations. Afghanistan and its international allies have for years accused Pakistan of backing Taliban insurgents as a way to limit Indian influence in Afghanistan. Last week PM Khan in an opinion piece in The Washington Post expressed concerns that Afghanistan could again be used as a haven for international militant groups. Dr Abdullah has however reiterated that the time has come to go beyond slogans and old statements and theories and turn a new page. Prime Minister Imran Khan has hoped that Dr Abdullah’s visit will help open a new chapter in the Pak-Afghan relationship. Further, that Pakistan would support whatever Afghans agree upon about the future of their country. PM Khan also reaffirmed full support for the post-conflict Afghanistan on its path to reconstruction and economic development. Any positive change in the rocky relations between the neighboring countries would be widely welcomed.
Mr Abdullah struck a markedly conciliatory tone, emphasising his country’s appreciation of Pakistan’s help in the peace process and the need for a new era of bilateral relations, which have often gone through periods of deep mistrust. “We then need to draw the necessary lessons about our gains and losses, threats and opportunities, especially where we could have been today if we had aimed for stronger win-win solutions, reduced tensions, promoted moderation, increased regional connectivity, trade, transit, economic integration, Business-to-Business and importantly people-to-people interactions.”
What creates doubts is that similar sentiments couched in almost similar language were expressed when President Ashraf Ghani visited Pakistan in June last year. Mr Khan and President Ghani had “agreed to open a new chapter of friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” according to a statement issued soon after by the Prime Minister’s office. Despite the declaration, serious border tensions causing casualties continued. So did terrorist attacks from the Afghan side targeting security personnel in Pakistan’s tribal districts. One can only hope that the three days of talks with Dr Abdullah in Islamabad would produce tangible positive results.
