Round The World
New Delhi, 4 December 2012
Pakistan-Afghanistan Ties
TOWARDS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP?
By Obja Borah Hazarika
Research Scholar, School of International
Studies (JNU)
Two Asian neighbours, Afghanistan and Pakistan suffer from many complex
issues. Wherein, cooperation between the two can alter the world’s security
scenario in general and Asia in particular.
The precarious nature of both Governments’ has resulted in several security
shortcomings with serious repercussions for the locals, neighbourhood and
beyond.
Undoubtedly, determined
and dedicated efforts by both countries would promote a conducive environment
to battle security threats and concerns. Towards that end, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Dr. Zalmai
Rassoul visit to Pakistan
on 30 November last was a positive step in this direction.
He called on Pakistan
Premier Raja Pervez Ashraf and held talks with his counterpart Hina Rabbani
Khar. Ashraf reiterated that both nations faced a common challenge of terrorism
and drugs and needed to work closely to confront these challenges.
Importantly, the focus of
Rassoul’s visit was on Afghanistan’s
situation, peace and reconciliation process, cooperation in political and
economic fields and security issues. Whereby, the two sides agreed to have an
institutionalized mechanism to address cross-border incursions and shelling issue.
Additionally, they decided
to hold a joint conference of Afghan and Pakistani Ulema in Kabul by January end and concurred to enter
into a bilateral Visa Abolition Agreement to facilitate visa-free travel for
diplomats of both countries.
Significantly, both sides
accepted a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) would further deepen bilateral
ties and agreed to negotiate soon to make SPA a reality. Pakistan’s
Foreign Minister presented SPA’s draft proposal to Rassoul.
But concluding this agreement
would be challenging given Islamabad’s dubious
efforts at tackling insurgency fuelled by Afghanistan’s Taliban. In fact, Kabul remains to be convinced of Pakistan’s
sincerity.
Recall, in October Afghan
President Hamid Karzai, sparked a row with Islamabad
after he declared the pre-conditions for SPA, namely, “terrorism must stop,
extremism dismantled, anti-Afghan activities ended and destruction of Afghanistan discontinued.”
Against this backdrop, the need for SPA is a welcome development.
Undeniably, a commitment
by the Pakistani Establishment on its firmness in dealing with the Taliban and
tackling terrorism is necessary for Kabul to
cooperate with Pakistan
vis-à-vis security and other issues.
Rassoul also made plain Afghani
apprehensions of Pakistan’s
credibility and intentions by outlining any strategic partnership agreement
required “full trust” between the two sides.
“The issue is that you cannot sign a SPA where there is not full trust
and confidence,” Rassoul said to Khar, even as it marked the “first step” in
paving the way for signing SPA. Khar replied,
“Both sides had started the journey towards finalising the agreement.”
The visit also saw Pakistan agree to operationalise the joint
commission on release of prisoners which would see another Taliban prisoners batch
being handed over to Afghanistan
in order to facilitate peace talks between insurgents and the Afghan
government.
Earlier this month, talks
between Islamabad and Kabul’s High Peace Council resulted in the
release of 9 Taliban members. Afghan officials strongly believe that Taliban
leaders held in Pakistan,
if released, could help bring militants to the negotiating table, ahead of the
2014 pull-out of US-led NATO troops.
This apart, the
neighbours consented to extend an embryonic regional free trade agreement to Tajikistan in the hope that transit trade from
Pakistani sea ports to Central Asia would
enrich all three countries.
A Pakistani official
described the issues discussed during the visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister
as “positive measures”. In fact, Islamabad,
known to cultivate ties with the Taliban, was seen as mending its ways and
attempting to cooperate with Kabul
to control the spiral of terrorism orchestrated by Taliban.
Indeed, according to foreign
experts, the rise in militancy inside Pakistan forced the country's
leaders to reappraise and review its support for Taliban. However, the fact
that Taliban’s insurgency remains undiminished, hardly any steps have been
taken to curb its activities inside Pakistan,
is a sign of Islamabad’s dubiousness or lack of
control by Pakistan’s
Government over its own territory, groups and people.
Notably, Rassoul
enunciated that his country viewed relations with Pakistan as most significant in
terms of the common challenges faced by both countries. Underscoring that Afghanistan would never allow its soil to be
used against Pakistan and
that peace in his country was a prerequisite for peace and stability in Pakistan and
the region. More. He pledged that Islamabad
had a crucial role to play in the reconciliation process success.
Pertinently, Pakistan Foreign
Minister Khar expressed keenness to build strong bilateral relations with Afghanistan as stability therein was in the
interests of Pakistan.
Adding, that Islamabad
would continue to support the Afghan people as it had done in the past.
Further, both Foreign
Ministers released a joint statement which reiterated their commitment to
cooperation in tackling terrorism and working for a strategic partnership
agreement which was encouraging, notwithstanding the otherwise suspicious
nature of relationship between Islamabad and Kabul.
Significantly, Pakistan’s
lacklustre efforts in curbing violence unleashed by the Taliban, allegedly due
to its designs of befriending a possible future power in Afghanistan, is one of
the main reasons for prickly bilateral ties.
Yet, the positive
overtone of the joint statement is important given the bad blood between the neighbours
last year post Afghan High Peace Council Chief Burhanuddin Rabbani assassination
on 20 September last year, when Kabul accused Islamabad of orchestrating the
killing.
Additionally, the renewed
focus and vigour with which Pakistan in pushing for SPA with Afghanistan could be
viewed in the context of the strategic partnership agreement which Kabul signed
with India last year. Much to the consternation of Islamabad,
it paved the way for New Delhi
to train and equip Afghan security forces. India
and Pakistan both have their
set of interests in fostering close cooperation with Afghanistan.
Undeniably, the SPA with India in 2011, somewhat threw the balance both
nations had with Afghanistan
in favour of India,
at least where the recognized Afghan Government is concerned.
Thus, the renewed vigour
by Pakistan to conclude a
SPA with Afghanistan should
be read as a move to restore the balance between Islamabad
and New Delhi.
Especially, to ensure favourable positions when foreign troops withdraw from Afghanistan in
2014.
In sum, both sides need
to make concerted efforts to deal with the terse security situation which
plagues the neighbours. They should be prioritized and dealt with utmost
commitment, sensitivity and firmness, along-with trust building, by. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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