Most of the grievous ills that Pakistan faces today are the outcome of its disastrous Afghan policy. These include attacks by terrorist networks, the consequent instability and its devastating impact on the economy and people’s livelihood.
Despite an element of hostility prevailing between Afghanistan and Pakistan since 1947, overtures were made by the Shah of Iran in mid 1970’s to normalise relations between the two countries. The attempts were however overtaken by three cataclysmic events that closely followed one another. Bhutto was removed by Zia-ul-Haq in a military coup in 1977, followed by the assassination of President Daud Khan as a result of the Saur revolution in 1978 and the overthrow of the Shah of Iran by Ayatollah Khominei in 1979.
Soon after the Saur revolutionaries took control of Afghanistan, Zia-ul-Haq started to look for an opportunity for intervention in the neighbouring country. An excuse was invented for the action he was meditating. It was maintained that the Soviet Union planned to attack Pakistan next. As later events proved, the communist state was already facing insurmountable domestic problems. By the late 1970s it had turned into a giant with clay feet. The Soviet state which was on way to implode was in no position to attack Pakistan.
The best way was to let the Afghan people deal with the situation that they faced. In the absence of outside interference, the Soviet troops could have helped the Afghans to bring the situation gradually under control. The local resistance would have forced the government to modify some of its unpopular policies. Thus, Afghanistan could have started the journey towards becoming a modern and secular country.
This however did not suit Zia-ul-Haq. Having overthrown an elected government, he was badly in need of bringing the military regime out of the isolation it faced. Only acting as America’s pawn in the region could do the job. He persuaded the US to assist him in organising and training religious zealots from all over the world and letting them loose on the Soviet and Afghan troops. The plan suited the US also. As the Carter Administration’s National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski put it, the policy would drag the Soviet Union into the “Afghan trap”. On July 3, 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul.
As a result of Zia-ul-Haq’s Afghan policy, millions of Afghan refugees poured into Pakistan. They brought all types of lethal weapons with them. Heroin coming from the factories set up inside Afghanistan to finance the ‘jihad’ gutted the Pakistani market before it spread to the rest of the world. To summarise, the policy had disastrous consequences for Pakistani society. Attempts to extricate Pakistan from Afghanistan by Mohammad Khan Junejo led to his dismissal in 1988.
With the end of the Cold War, every country in the world with the exception of Pakistan undertook a re-evaluation of its foreign policy. There was a consensus now that the best way to have a friendly government in the neighbourhood was through a policy of peace and economic and trade ties based on the principle of mutual benefit. What the military establishment now wanted was strategic depth in Afghanistan rather than ordinary friendly relations. The goal could only be achieved by installing a government in Kabul fully under the control of the security agencies.
Finally concluding that none among the present ‘jihadi’ groups was willing to act as a complete stooge, a decision was made to launch a brand new group comprising madrassah students from Pakistan. This led to the creation of the Taliban who were provided tactical help to occupy Kabul. As the US had withdrawn from the region, billions of rupees of tax payers’ money was spent on training, equipping and launching the new band of ruthless killers. Meanwhile, a new dimension was added to the policy. Terrorist camps were set up to train jihadis to be launched in Kashmir.
The US remained unconcerned about what was happening in Afghanistan till Al-Qaeda started hurting it. After Nine Eleven, the US could tolerate the organisation which had set up headquarters in Afghanistan no longer. This led to the “with us or with them” ultimatum. Thanks to its Afghan policy, Pakistan stood isolated in the world community.
After Nine Eleven, a new turn was given to the policy on terrorism. Musharraf launched a full fledged attack on the Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, arresting scores of its top leaders and important functionaries. Contacts were however retained with the Afghan Taliban leadership which were treated as a strategic asset. The Haqqanis in particular were allowed to use sanctuaries in North Waziristan.
No action was taken against local terrorists till some of them launched attacks to kill Musharraf. Even when action was taken subsequently, it remained fully targeted on the concerned groups. The terrorist organisations banned under international pressure but considered useful in Indian Occupied Kahmir were allowed to work under different names. Some of the banned groups subsequently trained their guns on their erstwhile motivators and financiers besides launching attacks on innocent civilians.
And now the moral. Use of terrorism as a foreign policy instrument has harmed Pakistan more than anyone else. The terrorists have killed thousands of innocent Pakistanis and ruined its economy. They have killed more Pakistani troops than Indian soldiers. What is more, they have estranged neighbours that include not only Afghanistan and India but also China and Iran. A time has come when a foreign policy should be formulated by the civilian government rather than the security establishment.
The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.
I cant help notice even the liberals in Pakistan call Indian side of Kashmir occupied without even looking into history.In reality though, it was Pakistani regulars along with Afghan tribes that invaded Kashmir initially and started causing atrocities on local Kashmirs at that time. India was merely invited on a legal agreement. So It would be more fair to call the side of Kashmir on Pakistan occupied. If Pakistani liberals are so anti-India in their attitude even subtlety, then negotiation is virtually a impossible task even with the most moderate of Pakistani folks. My conclusion is India and Pakistan can never be friends. At least not until Pakistan changes its mindset.
I cant help notice even the liberals in Pakistan call Indian side of Kashmir occupied without even looking into history.In reality though, it was Pakistani regulars along with Afghan tribes that invaded Kashmir initially and started causing atrocities on local Kashmirs at that time. India was merely invited on a legal agreement. So It would be more fair to call the side of Kashmir on Pakistan occupied. If Pakistani liberals are so anti-India in their attitude even subtlety, then negotiation is virtually an impossible task even with the most moderate of Pakistani folks. My conclusion is India and Pakistan can never be friends. At least not until Pakistan changes its mindset.
every muslim of south asia which has intrest in poltics agree with the history of af-pak relation from 1947 to 2011,world knows this true history of political relations between Af-Pak,every educated muslim know that that usa and nato forces unnecessary cruel against pakistan and killing innocent muslims in pakistan directly and indirectly and taking help of thir other friends too since 2001 and continue for their buisness greed as they are doinf in arab and african region,muslims around the world think usa and europe is resposble for making more and more mujahideen in pakisata,in Arab,in Africa and mushraff is eqaly partner making mujahids and indian fear also is bigger.If you anybody in world should usa must leave afganistan and pakistan they will say undoutedly bbbecause litrate people saying this foolishness if you will remain in Afganistanor will persnt their this will make more mujahids because these are true marshalls read their brave history and they are showing their braveness so no power win against these.
Afghans are no fans of Pakistan either. We think Pakistan has used our country like a whre. In fact, at least India provides aid reconstruction for whatever interests it has of its own. It benefits us afghans. What Pakistan is doing in its quest to strategic depth has destroyed our country since decades.
Atiqkhan:
Don't start calling yourself 'educated' muslim yet. And, more importantly, don't call yourself a friend of Afghans. Do some studying first…
"Gulbuddin Hekmatyar received operational, financial and military support from Pakistan. Afghanistan expert Amin Saikal concludes in Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival […]"
"Pakistan was keen to gear up for a breakthrough in Central Asia. […] Islamabad could not possibly expect the new Islamic government leaders […] to subordinate their own nationalist objectives in order to help Pakistan realize its regional ambitions. […] Had it not been for the ISI's logistic support and supply of a large number of rockets, Hekmatyar's forces would not have been able to target and destroy half of Kabul."
Want more of the history? Here:
"Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf – then as Chief of Army Staff – was responsible for sending thousands of Pakistanis to fight alongside the Taliban and Bin Laden against the forces of Massoud. In total there were believed to be 28,000 Pakistani nationals, many either from the Frontier Corps or army, fighting inside Afghanistan. An estimated 8,000 Pakistani militants were recruited in madrassas filling the ranks of the estimated 25,000 regular Taliban force. A 1998 document by the U.S. State Department confirms that "20–40 percent of [regular] Taliban soldiers are Pakistani." The document further states that the parents of those Pakistani nationals "know nothing regarding their child's military involvement with the Taliban until their bodies are brought back to Pakistan."
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan#cite_ref…
Wikipedia is full of sh@t all the edits are by extremist massifs followed
Afghanistan started troubled by supporting terrorist in Pakistan . Then we beat u at ur own game
Afghanistan is a jealous country
Hi please use punctuation to better understand what u write..plz improve your english….
Sayings r always true…
As if someone digs a hole for someone, same person is bound to fall in it…same is happening with pakistan now, terror snake milked once in biting pakistan….hope common pakistani understand this and bring a responsible govt to power which works on developing pak then on interfering in other nations…
@afghani..
u cannot be even a friend of your own because u ppl are so divided ethnically ..yah pakistan had committed a horrific mistake bye getting involve in ur country affairs and dont worri we r paying heavily or that mistake……
but i would salute you ppl for ur mentality…on one side u r accusing us for interference but on other side u r wellcoming india…these sick hindu minded ppl are not here to benefit you..bt they are getting ur sympathies to harm pakistan… it was u who invited Soviet union and it was u who give a home to osama to launch 9/11…
@waqar Those Indians built bridges. We have hospitals up and running. buses trucks etc. What did you do apart from assassinating our leaders? Every time some Taliban member wants to negotiate peace on his own, he is detained in Pakistan. Like I said so far, the Indian help for whatever reasons has been only beneficial. They don't have a standing army here occupying us or are sending terrorists. We also enjoy their movies. Sadly every thing coming out of Pakistan has been depressing for us. Yes that also includes your movies. Your country has absolutely no right to tell us who we make friends with. We are not owned by you and you have a part of our territory occupied illegally. Not to mention you have Chinese troops inside your country. Did we complain about that? How about stop being friends with the Taliban because we say so?
Afghani must be aware that Pakistan intends to merge Afghanistan into It’s territory as it’s fifth Province by hook or crook.
With the end of the Cold War, every country in the world with the exception of Pakistan undertook a re-evaluation of its foreign policy. There was a consensus now that the best way to have a friendly government in the neighbourhood was through a policy of peace and economic and trade ties based on the principle of mutual benefit. What the military establishment now wanted was strategic depth in Afghanistan rather than ordinary friendly relations.
EVEN NOW PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT DOES NOT RECOGNISE THE FORMER OPTION IS THE BEST OPTION
What does Pakistan talk about strategic depth? Isn't it just a military red herring for pocketing resources and maintaining supremacy for internal consumption? What does it cost to the country's economy? What's the benefit to Pakistan's population – both short and long term? What does it really add to Pakistan's security?
What would the spread of Afghan soil do for Pakistan? next to Afghanistan, which country in central Asia would provide any strategic accommodation to Pakistan? Are Iranians (and Chinese for that matter) would be so stupid to opening-up for Pakistan? Do either one of them trust Pakistan atall? Everything they do with Pakistan is just transactional. How much does it take to choke-off exit to Arabian sea? How long does Pakistan survive without tankers porting in Karachi?
What can Pakistan achieve without being a global citizen?
strategic dept just means allies
Anyway that is old doctrine of Orr nuclear age
Of course Kashmir is occupied India has no legal right . Kashmir would accede to Pakistan
India has a colonial mindset why did u develop nukes and invade siachib ??? India has issues with all it’s nieghbours
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