Malik M. Ashraf
The animosity shown by the Afghan Taliban towards Pakistan in response to the benevolent treatment and support extended to them over the last four decades is quintessential of the saying of Caliph Ali: “Beware of evil effects of those for whom you do an act of benevolence.”
Pakistan supported the Afghan Taliban in their fight against the Northern Alliance. It assisted them in the jihad against the former Soviet Union when it invaded Afghanistan and extended diplomatic recognition to their regime when they came into power after the Soviet exit from the country. In the backdrop of 9/11 and the landing of US and NATO forces, Pakistan supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned resolution of the conflict in Afghanistan at the multilateral level and finally played a pivotal role in drawing up the Doha Agreement, paving the way for their return to power. Above all, it hosted more than 3.5 million Afghan refugees for four decades.
It is also an undeniable reality that for years Pakistan has been the staunchest advocate for Afghanistan’s stability, urging the world to see its people through the lens of hope not hostility. It has persistently sought humanitarian relief, regional cooperation and diplomatic engagement for Afghanistan even when the world turned away. It has made consistent efforts at bilateral and multilateral forums aimed at ending the isolation of Afghanistan and ensuring continued humanitarian assistance to its people. Pakistan has also supported and advocated rehabilitation of the devastated infrastructure in Afghanistan and rebuilding its economy with the help of regional countries and the international community. The deliberations of the recently held quadrilateral huddles between Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan and the trilateral moots between Pakistan, China and Russia that paved the way for upgrading diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan provide a ringing proof of the foregoing efforts.
Regrettably, in return for this goodwill and support, instead of being grateful, Kabul has chosen betrayal by providing space to Indian-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan. It is perhaps pertinent to mention that the Afghan foreign minister, while on a visit to India, not only endorsed the Indian stance of IIOJ&K being an integral part of India but also outrightly denied the presence of TTP terrorists on Afghan soil.
Afghanistan has allowed bases to terrorist entities like Al-Qaida, TTP, BLA and BLF, enabling them to continue terrorist attacks on neighbouring countries, more so against Pakistan, in breach of its obligations under the Doha Agreement and repeated commitments made with the regional countries, including Pakistan. Behind the religious piety lies a global hub of terror. Pakistan has paid a heavy price in the shape of thousands of martyrs, daily attacks and growing instability along the borders.
Repeated requests by Pakistan to the Taliban authorities to fulfil their obligations regarding not allowing terrorists to use its soil for attacks on its territory were not heeded and instead the intensity and frequency of the attacks experienced an exponential increase. They also launched attacks on Pakistani posts along the border. As they say, there is a limit to everything. Pakistan could not tolerate these attacks and no country would allow such a situation to persist. It had to happen ultimately. Pakistan rightly and justifiably chose to take decisive action in response to these attacks by Afghan forces supported by operatives of the TTP. In the process Pakistan captured a number of Afghan posts and killed more than 200 Afghan security personnel, forcing Kabul to seek cessation of hostilities. Pakistani retaliation to the Afghan attacks was a loud and clear message to them that enough was enough. They will not be allowed to persist with their anti-Pakistan stance and will have to pay the price for any indiscretion in the future as well. Terror is a war and every attack from Afghan soil will be met with force on Afghan soil. The restraint shown by Pakistan so far is not a weakness.
It is an irrefutable reality that the Afghan Taliban cannot match the military prowess of Pakistan. Their threats are nothing more than rants of defeated and mauled elements. What the Taliban call ‘power’ is a façade — a rented throne built on foreign sponsorship. Afghanistan now has two choices, i.e. either to decide peace through responsibility by eliminating terror sanctuaries or face destruction through defiance because Pakistan is no longer prepared to bear the cost of Afghan duplicity.
What the Taliban call ‘power’ is a façade — a rented throne built on foreign sponsorship. Power in Kabul is not governance, it is business; the more chaos they export, the more money they earn. History bears testimony to the reality that Afghanistan has never truly ruled itself. It has always been a client state traded between outsiders and warlords. It is a landlocked country surviving on foreign aid, thriving on drugs, weapons and human misery. It is a country where women are flogged, children denied education and hypocrisy is sold as religion.
The Taliban, therefore, are choreographing their own destruction by persisting with supporting and promoting terror, showing hostility towards Pakistan as well as by pursuing their own brand of Islam that usurps the rights of women and denies education to Afghan children.
Neither the global community nor the regional countries would allow such a situation to continue. If the Taliban desire to end their global isolation and rebuild the devastated infrastructure of their country as well as embark on the path of economic development, they will have to abandon the religious hypocrisy and duplicity that they have shown in their relations with Pakistan.
Women are flogged, children denied education and hypocrisy is sold as religion.
The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at ashpak10@gmail.com
