Pak in a fix: Worsening ties with Taliban pose threat

Maj Gen Harsha Kakar (retd.)

A report in the Global Initiative of 28th Dec discussing the scenario in Pakistan’s western provinces states, ‘Militants from a Pakistani insurgent group with ties to the Taliban, TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan), are forcing victims to pay exorbitant fees or risk facing mortal consequences.’ Simultaneously, talks between the TTP and the Pakistani government, brokered by the Taliban, have failed and the one-month truce has ended with increased attacks on Pakistani forces. It has been reported that the TTP is the lever employed by the Taliban over Pakistan. At the same time, the Taliban has accused the Pakistan Army of backing the Islamic State (ISKP), which is responsible for attacks in different Afghan cities.

There have also been reports of clashes between Pakistani troops and the Taliban along the Durand Line, where Pakistan was attempting to construct a fence. Videos emerging from the clashes show the Taliban warning Pakistan forces of dire consequences in case they engage Taliban troops deployed along the border and continue construction. News reports from Pakistan mention that the situation has been diffused, however further construction of the border fence has ceased.

It is evident that the honeymoon between the Taliban, currently ruling Afghanistan, and their benefactors, Pakistan, is over. This is in sharp contrast to the happiness within the Pakistani leadership when the Taliban occupied Kabul. Imran khan stated, ‘Afghans have broken the shackles of slavery.’ Pakistan believed it had regained its strategic depth and the Taliban and Haqqani leadership would remain ever grateful to it for its support. For Pakistan, the Taliban victory meant that Indian influence in the country had ended. It had always claimed that Indian RAW and Afghan NDS were behind terror strikes in Pakistan. However, the situation in Pakistan’s western provinces has only worsened, post the Taliban takeover.

Reality has begun dawning on the Pakistan government that the Pak-Afghan relationship is slowly moving downhill, though Pakistan attempts to project itself as the only nation seeking support for Afghanistan. The recently concluded OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) summit in Islamabad had just 27 of the 57 members of the group present, when Pakistan shed crocodile tears in support of Afghanistan. It has, till date, despite a request from the Afghan government, placed riders on movement of food and medical aid from India. Afghanis continue to starve while Pakistan plays games with movement of aid through its territory.

The western world and the Taliban are on a standoff with the Taliban sticking to their interpretation of Islamic laws and refusing to grant rights to women as also adhere to global human rights. Pakistan has failed to convince the Taliban to change course. On its part, the Taliban, in a released video, claims Pakistan as an un-Islamic state. As things worsen within Afghanistan, problems for Pakistan would increase. Afghans from a landlocked country have no option but to seek refuge in an economically collapsing Pakistan adding to its woes.

The Durand Line, which separates the two countries can never be recognized by a Pashtun led Afghan government, most of whom are products of Pashtun Madrassas in Pakistan. This line was never accepted by Taliban 1.0, nor will it be to Taliban 2.0. Other nations in Kabul’s neighbourhood are also unhappy with the Afghan government. The recent killing of Hazaras and ignoring of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras in a non-inclusive government has angered these nations. This may soon give rise to multiple groups challenging the authority of Kabul. Further anger stems from the fact that it was Pakistan which imposed the current regime in Kabul, ignoring moderates involved in Doha talks.

Amongst all Kabul’s neighbours, it is just Pakistan which is running from pillar to post to obtain legitimacy and support for Kabul. This is because Pakistan had made multiple promises to the Taliban, in conjunction with China, when it created the government of its choice in Kabul. These included global recognition, inclusion into the CPEC and BRI, as well as aid from China. As of now nothing has moved. The US-blocked Afghan funds continue being inaccessible to Kabul, members of the Afghan government remain globally banned and recognition of the country is nowhere. China has refused to invest in a country where its finances may sink. Thus, not a single Pakistani promise is near fruition.

The desperation within Pakistan to fulfil some promises is the reason for it regularly holding international conferences with a single point agenda, ‘recognition of Afghanistan.’ The OIC, despite Pakistan’s requests, refused to endorse the current Kabul regime. Even Pakistan has not officially recognized Afghanistan, fearing global isolation. T