Afghanistan and the war
Courtesy: Usman Ghani
It is a known fact that the roots of present extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan can be traced back to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, when the Mujahideen were being provided help against the communists. The dangerously armed Mujaheeden were left alone by all to fight among themselves for Kabul after the Soviet Union withdrew. Many of those who fought against the Soviets are dead by now but their part of the land remains very much the same as it was during the soviet invasion.
The war ragged Afghanistan could not make its way out of economic ditch it had fallen into because of the Soviet invasion. Pakistan being a neighbor of Afghanistan could not have escaped the effects of Afghanistan’s destruction. Ethnic linkages between Afghanistan and Pakistan required Pakistan to host an enormous number of Afghan refugees for almost thirty years. Pakistan since its inception has been trying to defy Indian hegemony in the region and for this reason failed to anticipate internal threats from battle field hardened large groups of militants living without control of any central authority. They were thought to be providing security on Pakistan’s western borders without cost. But things changed for worse when Pakistan decided to once again side with the American’s in the war against terror.
Presence of extremists in Pakistan’s tribal areas is a concern for the Government and the public alike. Pakistan has been responding with every available mean to eradicate any presence of such elements in Pakistan. The war against terror although being fought under an alliance and with partners, its cost has been unevenly suffered around the world. Pakistan as a partner in this war has rendered more sacrifices than the combined efforts of U.S, Afghan and allied forces in this war. The effects of the war on terror have to a large extent undermined Pakistan’s security especially when security is considered in human and economical aspects.
Pakistan is cognizant of its responsibility to put an end to the menace of terrorism in the country and certainly Pakistan as a nation does not lack the will to put an end to extremism. Pakistan army has very successfully carried out law enforcement operation in Swat and other tribal agencies along the Afghan border. In spite of a very difficult terrain and lack of appropriate equipment Pakistan army has been able to restore government writ in its tribal areas. Pakistan preoccupation with the war has brought Pakistan into a net of chronic problems. The successive governments have been utilizing large amounts of national resources in a protracted conflict landing the country in a plethora. Pakistan now has an ailing economy, energy shortfall and a diminishing trust for foreign investment. Diplomatically efforts are being made to bog down Pakistan and put the blame of a failing Afghanistan on Pakistan.
The law enforcement operations conducted by Pakistan army in its tribal region have been more successful than those of U.S and allied forces operations in Afghanistan. Pakistan has been paying a heavy price for its commitment in the war against terror. Pakistan has suffered more than thirty five thousand casualties in terrorist violence from the year 2003 to 2011 along with an economic cost of more than $68.9 billion. The war against extremist has by all means hurt Pakistan more than any other country. The responsibility of isolating and exterminating extremists is not only of Pakistan. U.S, ISAF and Afghan forces should also look on the progress made in Afghanistan. The government of Hamid Karzai has proved to be a challenge for the U.S ten-year-old project of nation-building in Afghanistan. The revelations made by WikiLeaks suggest that tens of millions of dollars are carried out of Afghanistan each month, with no telling how much is illicit. The country’s dominant money exchange caters to “narco-traffickers, insurgents, and criminals.”
The gravity of corruption problem in Afghanistan can be judged from a U.S diplomatic cable of Oct.19,2009, citing a report from officials in the United Arab Emirates- a destination for much of the cash - that Afghan Vice President Ahmad Zia Masood had entered the emirate with $52 million earlier that year, an amount he was allowed to keep “without revealing the money’s origin or destination.” The second mistake made by the U.S is not precipitating away the extremists from the Pashtuns. The nine year old policy of keeping the Pashtuns defeated with the help of the Northern Alliance composed of three ethnic groups (Uzbeks, Hazaras and Tajiks) has continued in the form of controlled democracy. The Pashtun population of Afghanistan feels bewildered towards the democratic setup in Afghanistan. U.S and Afghan government has failed to get the trust and confidence of the Pashtun population in Afghanistan.
The U.S and Afghan government would have to look for their failures in Afghanistan. By trying to make believe the world that Pakistan is a threat to the world and part of the terrorism problem would negatively affect the meager gains made in the last ten years. Military operations followed by fair political dealings and social uplift of Afghan population can gradually erode the influence of extremists in Afghanistan. Pakistan cannot be blamed for the exclusion of Pashtuns from the Afghan government, neither for the unprecedented corruption of Afghan officials and the unabated drug trade going on in Afghanistan. Pakistan has proved to be part of the solution.
The Government of Pakistan is most sincere in rooting out extremism. Remarkable gains made by the Pakistan army against extremists are being supplemented by government efforts to socially uplift the people. The 2010 summer floods and the recent floods in Sindh have shattered the already fragile economy of Pakistan. Pakistan’s vital role in helping achieve a safer world can only be enhanced if Pakistani efforts are acknowledged. The recurrent U.S and Afghan blames against Pakistan and its armed forces would not help improve the situation in Afghanistan. Ten years of Allied and Afghan failures are not because of Pakistan but because of Afghanistan’s political and economic problems and their solution lay in Afghanistan.
It is a known fact that the roots of present extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan can be traced back to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, when the Mujahideen were being provided help against the communists. The dangerously armed Mujaheeden were left alone by all to fight among themselves for Kabul after the Soviet Union withdrew. Many of those who fought against the Soviets are dead by now but their part of the land remains very much the same as it was during the soviet invasion.
The war ragged Afghanistan could not make its way out of economic ditch it had fallen into because of the Soviet invasion. Pakistan being a neighbor of Afghanistan could not have escaped the effects of Afghanistan’s destruction. Ethnic linkages between Afghanistan and Pakistan required Pakistan to host an enormous number of Afghan refugees for almost thirty years. Pakistan since its inception has been trying to defy Indian hegemony in the region and for this reason failed to anticipate internal threats from battle field hardened large groups of militants living without control of any central authority. They were thought to be providing security on Pakistan’s western borders without cost. But things changed for worse when Pakistan decided to once again side with the American’s in the war against terror.
Presence of extremists in Pakistan’s tribal areas is a concern for the Government and the public alike. Pakistan has been responding with every available mean to eradicate any presence of such elements in Pakistan. The war against terror although being fought under an alliance and with partners, its cost has been unevenly suffered around the world. Pakistan as a partner in this war has rendered more sacrifices than the combined efforts of U.S, Afghan and allied forces in this war. The effects of the war on terror have to a large extent undermined Pakistan’s security especially when security is considered in human and economical aspects.
Pakistan is cognizant of its responsibility to put an end to the menace of terrorism in the country and certainly Pakistan as a nation does not lack the will to put an end to extremism. Pakistan army has very successfully carried out law enforcement operation in Swat and other tribal agencies along the Afghan border. In spite of a very difficult terrain and lack of appropriate equipment Pakistan army has been able to restore government writ in its tribal areas. Pakistan preoccupation with the war has brought Pakistan into a net of chronic problems. The successive governments have been utilizing large amounts of national resources in a protracted conflict landing the country in a plethora. Pakistan now has an ailing economy, energy shortfall and a diminishing trust for foreign investment. Diplomatically efforts are being made to bog down Pakistan and put the blame of a failing Afghanistan on Pakistan.
The law enforcement operations conducted by Pakistan army in its tribal region have been more successful than those of U.S and allied forces operations in Afghanistan. Pakistan has been paying a heavy price for its commitment in the war against terror. Pakistan has suffered more than thirty five thousand casualties in terrorist violence from the year 2003 to 2011 along with an economic cost of more than $68.9 billion. The war against extremist has by all means hurt Pakistan more than any other country. The responsibility of isolating and exterminating extremists is not only of Pakistan. U.S, ISAF and Afghan forces should also look on the progress made in Afghanistan. The government of Hamid Karzai has proved to be a challenge for the U.S ten-year-old project of nation-building in Afghanistan. The revelations made by WikiLeaks suggest that tens of millions of dollars are carried out of Afghanistan each month, with no telling how much is illicit. The country’s dominant money exchange caters to “narco-traffickers, insurgents, and criminals.”
The gravity of corruption problem in Afghanistan can be judged from a U.S diplomatic cable of Oct.19,2009, citing a report from officials in the United Arab Emirates- a destination for much of the cash - that Afghan Vice President Ahmad Zia Masood had entered the emirate with $52 million earlier that year, an amount he was allowed to keep “without revealing the money’s origin or destination.” The second mistake made by the U.S is not precipitating away the extremists from the Pashtuns. The nine year old policy of keeping the Pashtuns defeated with the help of the Northern Alliance composed of three ethnic groups (Uzbeks, Hazaras and Tajiks) has continued in the form of controlled democracy. The Pashtun population of Afghanistan feels bewildered towards the democratic setup in Afghanistan. U.S and Afghan government has failed to get the trust and confidence of the Pashtun population in Afghanistan.
The U.S and Afghan government would have to look for their failures in Afghanistan. By trying to make believe the world that Pakistan is a threat to the world and part of the terrorism problem would negatively affect the meager gains made in the last ten years. Military operations followed by fair political dealings and social uplift of Afghan population can gradually erode the influence of extremists in Afghanistan. Pakistan cannot be blamed for the exclusion of Pashtuns from the Afghan government, neither for the unprecedented corruption of Afghan officials and the unabated drug trade going on in Afghanistan. Pakistan has proved to be part of the solution.
The Government of Pakistan is most sincere in rooting out extremism. Remarkable gains made by the Pakistan army against extremists are being supplemented by government efforts to socially uplift the people. The 2010 summer floods and the recent floods in Sindh have shattered the already fragile economy of Pakistan. Pakistan’s vital role in helping achieve a safer world can only be enhanced if Pakistani efforts are acknowledged. The recurrent U.S and Afghan blames against Pakistan and its armed forces would not help improve the situation in Afghanistan. Ten years of Allied and Afghan failures are not because of Pakistan but because of Afghanistan’s political and economic problems and their solution lay in Afghanistan.
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