Pakistan’s role is crucial
As the time for US and Nato forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan is drawing near, tensions of another sort are becoming apparent. With the rift between Pakistan and the US widening gradually in the past year, and no side seriously listening to the other to overcome their differences, the proposed end to this decade-long war is not going to happen smoothly. Allies from Nato have also raised their concerns about the revised deadline for withdrawal of 2013, gradually to be completed by the end of 2014.
Pakistan’s insistence on an apology by the US for the Salala incident is not helping matters either. Frustrated, the US president decided not to meet with his Pakistani counterpart during the Chicago Summit on Afghanistan. President Zardari stressed that Pakistan wanted to see peace and stability in the region, provided the US, Nato and world community establishes relations with Pakistan based on mutual respect and trust. President Obama, on his part, does not want to appear as a weak president by tendering an apology only months before his second term elections, though he did emphasise the resolution of all issues.
The Chicago Summit calls for an enhanced role of Pakistan in ending this war, but there are questions that remain unanswered. Except for the decision on the deadline for troops’ withdrawal, nothing else has been finalised. How is it going to happen? Who will take over responsibility of keeping peace? Who will decide whether the objectives of this decade-long war have been achieved? Who is going to make sure that a repeat of the late ’80s withdrawal does not happen? Are Afghanistan’s security forces capable of safeguarding their boundaries, populace and government? How will the government in Kabul run its affairs economically? How can it wrest back the control of its territories presently held by Taliban? Will it negotiate with them and invite them to share the government or will it keep fighting them?
These questions still loom large with no clear answer in sight and this uncertainty is the driving force behind Pakistan’s continued insistence on finding the solutions to these questions. As soon as some progress is made on this front, along with an apology from Washington, Pakistan will be in a better position to make this transition peaceful and successful, while justifying its actions to its own people in this regard.
