Rethink Afghan policies
Since the regime change in Pakistan situation at the western border has remained disturbed and Pakistan is facing renewed hostilities by TTP from across the border resulting in killing of our officers and soldiers. Although Pakistani forces do retaliate and effectively counter their assaults with much more force and inflict heavy casualties on them but frequency of TTP attacks has shown upward trend.
Secondly TTP in spite of agreements and peace brokered with them have denounced all the agreements and have stepped up their activities by launching attacks on FC check posts without any provocations. We have to find out as to why we are being given this harsh treatment and TTP keep attacking our soldiers suiting to their convenience.
After the success of Taliban in recapturing Afghanistan in August 2021 we were very happy and celebrated their victory with fresh hope that now Taliban would look after our interests in the region and Afghan soil will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan and would ensure no incident of terrorism takes place from across the border. Our hope was based on the role played in crucial talks between USA and Taliban in Doha but regrettably Taliban did not reciprocate our sacrifices etc. But instead we noticed that Taliban had their own road map and Pakistan was nowhere in their schemes.
We were shocked with their rude behavior and equally surprised to see they joined hands with our enemy No 1 India. It is on record that over 800 TTP terrorists that were arrested by President Ashraf Ghani were freed by Taliban instead handing over to us. These freed TTP terrorists are now engaged in terror attacks on Pakistan check posts and have refused to talk to Pakistan authorities.
We hosted over 4 million Afghanis for years and looked after them as our own people but when time came they turned their guns against us. Just to remind people Doha agreement bounds Taliban that Afghan soil will not be used for cross border terrorism against Pakistan and any type of terrorism against anybody from across the border shall not take place. This promise was not kept and TTP continues to operate from Afghanistan. unfortunately, none of the promises made in Doha agreement were honored.
Taliban continue to deny legitimate rights to women that is in violation of human rights and against UN resolutions but who cares. We have looked after around 4 million Afghanis since Russia invaded Afghanistan and treated them as our brothers but now being ignored and India given preference speaks volume of failure of foreign policy on Afghanistan.
The history of TTP is before us they have never kept promises and agreements; in fact, our offer of negotiations has been taken as sign of weakness. It is not TTP but globally changing political scenario where US wants to disturb the interests of Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan.
US carried rich tradition of attacking smaller Muslim countries under the cover of strengthening democracy as a result millions of innocent people have died, regimes changed and heads of state killed. Greatest lie had been storage of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq, rest is history.
Unfortunately, all successive governments start blaming their predecessors and lose sight from the real issue.
When Tehreek Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) forced US to leave Afghanistan, TTP and ISIS were present in Afghanistan and they could not survive without the support of Taliban government. It appears that Pakistan experts thought since the war on terror is over and Taliban are back with full authority Pakistan shall face no problem, but the ground realities proved that we stand no nowhere.
It appears our government is not taking this issue seriously and renewed activities of TTP from across the border looks a part of the script to be followed to disturb peace in the region. Keeping in view the gravity of situation at the western border PM Shahbaz Sharif called 40th meeting of National Security meeting to chalk out future strategy and resolved to have zero tolerance for terrorism in Pakistan has been welcomed.
But what surprised was the absence of CM of KPK whose province is most hit due to TTP activities. How can we ensure implementation of much talked National Action Plan when the major stake holder and affected province is not invited? How can you fight terrorism when internally we stand divided? It is true that all successive governments tried to have good relationship with Afghanistan in spite of major differences but failed to influence Afghan government.
To defeat TTP cooperation of Afghanistan government is a pre requisite which is not forthcoming. It would have been more appropriate for PM or Foreign Minister to visit Afghanistan but the entire government is busy against IK as if it is the only issue of Pakistan. This should be understood IK is now a reality and all efforts to defame him would not affect the people of Pakistan. Issue of TTP should be taken seriously and efforts made to resolve it through negotiations.
TTP Afghanistan has defeated super power, therefore any effort other than negotiations shall prove to be disaster, we must read their mind and objectives. What is worrying is that Pakistan is being drawn in to long war against TTP who wish to establish similar government the one is functioning in Afghanistan. Time to stop internal politicking and concentrate on global changes taking place and calls for immediate consensus by taking decisions that protects our freedom and sovereignty.`
