Pakistan ‘does not want Taliban to seize control of Afghanistan’

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The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has long been accused of siding with the Taliban as part of a strategy to ensure a friendly government in Kabul and to ensure arch-rival India cannot gain a foothold, but details of an interview with Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha, who stepped down as ISI DG last weekend, suggests the agency fears that a Taliban takeover would have dangerous implications for Pakistan’s security. The account of the meeting in April last year – written by a researcher with the private intelligence firm Stratfor and obtained by WikiLeaks – was reported on Wednesday by British newspaper Telegraph.
“We do not wish to see the Talibs dominate Afghanistan,” said Pasha. “On the contrary, we want to see a broad-based government that can end the civil war in that country, which has had a disastrous fallout for us. Of course the Talibs will be a key player in a post-NATO Afghanistan, which we feel is necessary for true peace to take place.”
Well-placed observers in Islamabad suggest Pakistan’s Afghan policy is undergoing a period of “evolution”.
The Pakistani military has so far resisted US pressure to launch an offensive in North Waziristan, where the feared Haqqani network is headquartered and from where it launches attacks against NATO forces in Afghanistan.
In the meeting, Gen Pasha apparently said the military wanted to move into North Waziristan, but was still trying to secure neighbouring areas.
“The only way to mount an offensive in NW is through South Waziristan, which we are trying to stabilise with the building of roads and resettlement of locals,” he said.

8 COMMENTS

  1. The afghan policy has been due for a rethink for a long time.Let us begin at home for a change first. Wazirstan is a part of Pakistan and is as important tous like any other part of Pakistan -period!
    Forget about using Afghanistan as a strategic depth resource. A country which relies on another country,s soil is day dreaming. What we need is a stable Afghanistan irrespective who is in power. If it,s people choose to live in medivial times so be it.It is none of our business. We can only show by example our way of life.
    Let me remind you what President Daud said on a visit to Pakistan in Shalimar gardens in 1978 ' your welfare is our welfare, your stability is our stability, your security is our security so let us walk hand in hand in this sunshine" President Karzai said indirectly the same when he said we are joined at hip. A stable Pakistan will make afghanistan stable and friendly towards us irrespective who is in power. Let us start at home first. Give the guns a rest and let the gums start working. We are wazirstan

      • Of course. we have no choice. We might stumble but we will stand up and walk. We will gain the respect of our friends and adversries alike. Our problems are local and the solution is local too. Let us stop playing chess games in both the countries. I am no Gandhi but somewhere down the line good sense should pervail.

    • This translates thoughts of majority in Pakistan. I shall however add that Pakistanis need a stable Afghanistan which is also friendly towards Pakistan.

      Karzai's statement 'joined at the hip' is a bit of an overkill. Afghanistan is 80-90% Pashto speaking pathans sharing a sacred Pashtoon code of ethics (Pashtoon Wali) with the Pashto speaking province of Pakistan.

      US policy planners made a blunder, similar to what they did in Vietnam, by not taking the cultural and ethnic ties of the local population into consideration when deciding matters relating to policy in Afghanistan.

      Dr M Ahmad
      UK

      • Dr.Ahmad,
        This is exactly the point i am making.If as you say 80-90 % pashto speaking pathans follow pashtoon code of ethics so be it.! I have been to Afghanistan thrice and accepted it,s customs with respect as i respect the customs in the west.Each country has a unique history and heritage. Afghanistan has lost it,s way because of outside interference. Given time and patience and space things will work out. Long live ARIANA

  2. Ex PM of India Mr, Desai under the shadow of minar e pakistan had said that " A stable Pakistan is in India,s fevour " so I will say that a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan,s favour……. Forget about strstegic depth,and be freindly with afghan people

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