Former President of Afghanistan and Chairman of the High Peace Council (HPC), Burhanuddin Rabbani’s tragic assassination is indeed a tragic loss to Afghanistan in particular and to the region in general as peace process in Afghanistan will certainly come to an abrupt halt with his assassination.
It is interesting to note that while uncertainty still prevails over who killed Prof Rabbani, the international media is swamped with stories linking the assassination to Haqqani network, which is claimed to be an ISI proxy. This proposition cannot be correct because Rabbani was on friendly ties with Islamabad and his death came as loss of a sympathetic friend of Pakistan.
Quoted in Times magazine (19-25 September edition), Prof Rabbani’s recently voiced frustration over US’ peace efforts with Taliban not resulting in softening of the latter’s position must have been annoying for some. As such Rabbani’s assassination serves American interests more than that of anyone else. Burhanuddin Rabbani was a man widely respected among all factions of Afghans and having him in opposition could have been a hurdle in the attainment of US objectives in Afghanistan. His non-alignment with the US strategic thinking was perceived to be stumbling block in setting up of a weak and puppet government in Afghanistan in future that may serve well the American interests even after its exit from Afghan soil.
Hence, Taliban and Haqqani network are merely an easy scapegoat to hide the real intent of US. Maligning Pakistan for the killing is a dirty tactic by the US to pressurise Pakistan to carry out military action in North Waziristan and to increase drone attacks on both sides of the border while strengthening hands of warring party within NATO.
SYED A’AYAN HUSSAIN
Islamabad