Afghan elections

In defiance of terrorists

The enthusiasm displayed by the Afghan masses during Saturday elections should be highly discouraging for the TTP which is vainly trying to turn the clock backwards like its Afghan counterparts. Afghans turned out in large numbers to vote, defying threats from the Taliban who had vowed to disrupt the polls through violent methods and punish voters. The wide participation led the government to extend the polling hours by an hour to allow those standing in queues to cast their vote. The election has sent a message to the Taliban that it is not possible in this day and age to cow down the masses through use of terror. The Afghan elections constitute an endorsement of democracy and a rejection of theocracy imposed through violent means. Pakistan is a much more advanced country than its next door neighbour vis a vis social development, evolution of institutions and women empowerment. The Afghan elections should provide confidence to the PML-N government to stand up to terror instead of yielding to it.

The Afghan elections mark the first democratic transfer of presidential power in the country’s turbulent history. The enthusiasm for democracy has removed the perception that the moment the foreign troops are out, the Taliban would capture Kabul in a clean sweep. There are a number of other challenges, however, that lie ahead for the new administration. A problem would arise if, as expected, no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the votes. It would force a runoff that could delay the installation of a new president for several months. Another issue is that of signing a security deal with the US to allow American troops to stay past 2014 which had been okayed by the Loya Jirga but was held back as Karzai refused to ratify it. One hopes the next president would take a decision in this respect without much delay.

Another issue before the next administration would be the handling the issue of terrorism through an appropriate mix of dialogue and use of the state’s machinery of repression. Afghanistan badly needs to realise broad-based and inclusive peace and reconciliation at an early date. The country has a history of ethnic and sectarian conflicts which not only threaten Afghan national unity but also are capable of acting as a destabilising factor in the region. The new government has to try to end the ongoing insurgency at the earliest to ensure that the country does not recede into chaos that suits al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. For this it would do well to reach out to neighbouring countries to evolve a joint strategy against the forces which are destabilising the region.