ISLAMABAD: Experts advised federal government on Sunday to adopt a functional strategy to help Afghanistan in its institutional building, despite providing food assistance, as there is a governance collapse since the takeover of Kabul by Taliban.
Pakistan must act within next three months and engage the Taliban to convince them to form an “inclusive and true representative government” in Afghanistan, otherwise there is likelihood of beginning of another civil war there from April next year, the experts added.
These views were expressed by speakers at a consultation on “Afghan peace and reconciliation: Pakistan’s interests and policy options” organized by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) here at a local hotel. The lawmakers, academics, journalists, former diplomats, religious scholars and members of different religious-political participated in the event.
Pakistan’s former National Security Advisor Lt. General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua was of the view that Pakistan was facing a dilemma due to Afghan situation as “the world gets antagonized whenever Pakistan extends help to the neighbouring country.”
He urged the need that regional initiative is important to bring stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. “There is a solution within the region and Pakistan should play its role in coordination with other regional countries to help Afghanistan besides sending food assistance to it.”
Dr Huma Baqai, an associate professor of social sciences at Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi, said that Pakistan should help Afghanistan in developing its institutions rather than giving it food assistance.
“The issue of recognition and legitimacy of Taliban government is more important than providing it food assistance,” she said. She said that Pakistan should have a functional strategy for Afghanistan to deal with this issue.
Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology Dr Qibla Ayaz stressed that Pakistan should engage the Taliban through those local religious scholars and ulema who have great influence over them to convince them that the world wanted “inclusive and true representative government” in Afghanistan.
He suggested said that Taliban should address issue of giving women their rights to education and employment. He also said that Afghan cell in Foreign Office should be expanded and more experts on Afghanistan should be involved.
Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Professor of Politics and International Relations at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, was not very much optimistic about any positive outcome of meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers scheduled to be held in Islamabad upcoming week to discuss the Afghanistan issue.
He said that Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries would give assistance to the war-torn country on their own terms and conditions.
“Alarming factor is that the assistance (of Gulf countries) would increase sectarianism in Afghanistan.” He also said that Pakistan’s policy of appeasement towards warring groups would not be successful and its on-going talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) could result in reinforcing other militant groups.
Maulana Yousaf Shah, president Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, talking about government’s on-going talks with the TTP hoped that there would be positive results of these negotiations as “some powerful players are involved in the process.”
Former Senator Afrasiab Khattak viewed that Pakistan needed to change it strategy towards Kabul and form a new Afghan policy on bilateral basis. He said that next three months were very important for Afghanistan to handle the situation, otherwise there is likelihood of beginning of a civil war there in April next year. “This war would have the potential to convert into a proxy war.”
During these three months, Pakistan should play its role to make political changes in Afghanistan, he said adding that all groups in Afghanistan could be brought on the table to make an “inclusive and representative government” in Kabul.
Pakistan’s former ambassador to Iran Asif Ali Khan Durrani said that the country has got an opportunity for the first time to form a strong regional policy to deal with Afghanistan situation. He also emphasized that Taliban would have to give women their rights to education and employment.
Director PIPS Muhammad Amir Rana in his welcome remarks provided the rationale and objective behind conducting such consultations and underlined the need to discuss how current regime in Kabul would function, how to deal with evolving humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and what can be the response of Pakistan and how can it contribute.
