VIEW: Blame thyself —Daud Khattak

The ISI over-implicated itself following the withdrawal of the Soviet troops and the overthrow of the pro-communist regime in Afghanistan while the US kept its hands off following the defeat of the then USSR

Much has been written in the national and international media since the release of classified intelligence reports by WikiLeaks and a major portion of all the writings is focused on the future of the US’s war against terrorism in Afghanistan and the role of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

In this regard, the latest statement came from the UK Prime Minister David Cameron in the Indian city of Bangalore that Pakistan’s two-faced policy is ‘unacceptable’ to the coalition partners fighting an unending war in Afghanistan, also known as the ‘graveyard of empires’.

The angry reaction of Pakistan is understandable. The government and the establishment believe that the country and its people are themselves the victims of terrorism. The recent attacks in the major cities are proof of this assertion.

It was in the not distant past that Pakistan’s self-exiled former president Pervez Musharraf publicly declared that some ‘retired’ elements, having longstanding attachment with the Afghan fighters from the anti-Soviet jihad era, have sympathies with the Islamist forces and might be extending support.

At that time, too, fingers were raised towards General Hamid Gul, the ex-ISI chief, but the pitch of hollering was not heard from various quarters in the West as is being heard today. The reason is obvious: at that time, the US and the West, somehow, were confident of their victory in Afghanistan despite numerous warnings about the botched efforts, both local and foreign.

But presently, when the date for withdrawal is looming, a general has been replaced, domestic pressure is building on the allies for the return of their troops, the Taliban are strengthening instead of showing signs of weakness, enthusiasm among NATO allies is on the decline and, above all, the months of June and July have been declared the bloodiest, the reaction is louder than before.

Was it Pakistan that invited the US and the West to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan? Certainly not. But there is also a big yes, and that is Pakistan’s over-engagement with the mujahideen in the post-Soviet era and then with the Taliban. The world began to believe that the rag-tag army of seminary students would not be able to survive beyond a few days in front of powerful and well-trained militias of warlords like former premier and head of the Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, head of the then Northern Alliance (late) Ahmad Shah Masood, Abdul Rab Rasool Sayyaf and so many others, without external help.

Mistakes were committed from all sides and what was sown on the Afghan soil more than a decade ago is being reaped by the major players of the game today. The ISI over-implicated itself following the withdrawal of the Soviet troops and the overthrow of the pro-communist regime in Afghanistan while the US kept its hands off following the defeat of the then USSR.

Coming to the present state of affairs, the same mistakes are being repeated with new dimensions, as Pakistan wants to counter its major rival India on Afghan soil and install a friendly government to secure its western border.

The international community, on the other hand, shifted focus from rebuilding the landlocked country, where people in many areas have no access to clean drinking water, let alone facilities like schooling, hospitals, metallic roads and security, to pursuit of al Qaeda and the Taliban leadership.

Claims are many and much can be seen on paper, but going through the southern provinces of Afghanistan, like Ghazni, Zabul, Uruzgan, Helmand, and the south-eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Khost, frustration among the people regarding provision of basic facilities of life and sense of insecurity is easily visible. The majority of schools in Ghazni, located just 120 kilometres south of Kabul, are still closed and the candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections are running their campaigns from Kabul instead of going into the province because of threats to their lives. This is a very brief and simplistic view of the reconstruction and nation-building efforts over the past nine years.

The Pakistani establishment, both military and civilian, instead of trying to bring in a friendly government in Afghanistan with the help of armed groups, should win the hearts and minds of Afghans.

The solution to the Afghan problem lies in stability and development of the country. Investing in the Taliban or other such groups may be a short cut to gain influence in that country, but for a lasting and durable friendship, Pakistan needs to invest in projects really meant for the welfare of the common Afghans. This will be a lasting win and without bloodletting.

The writer can be reached at daud_72@yahoo.com