Connecting with Kabul

Time for a new doctrine

Sartaj Aziz’s trip to Kabul seems to have worked out nicely. Abdullah Ghani not only accepted Nawaz Sharif’s invitation – he promised to visit “soon” – but also appreciated how the two countries now had an historic opportunity to transform bilateral relations, which should be based on mutually beneficial partnerships. That in itself is a welcome break from the Karzai days, when responsibility of almost everything going wrong in Afghanistan was heaped onto Pakistan, especially the intelligence agency.

There are a number of reasons for this turnaround. One, new administrations usually float such feelers, especially when the relationship has been under strain, to test the other side’s appetite for a break from past habits. It also wins political points, both at home and in the international arena. Two, Pakistan’s crackdown on militants since Zarb-e-Azb has put Afghanistan on the back foot. Kabul’s principal grievance has been Islamabad’s reluctance to go after militants long holed up in the tribal area. But now that the operation is in full swing, and Afghanistan is not helping stem the flow of terrorists across the Durand Line, Ghani is without Karzai’s favourite excuse, and must play ball in another way. And three, the American drawdown means Pakistan is once again the number one player/broker in the region. Whether Kabul likes it or not, it will have to be friends with Islamabad if both are to defeat their respective insurgencies; one has had a long sanctuary in Pakistan, while the other has been sponsored and armed by Afghanistan.

On the whole, breaking the ice has been a positive development for both countries, and the stage is apparently being set for high level talks. And since they have decided to push the reset button, both sides must make gestures and promises that signal the end of confrontation once and for all. Being neighbours, both must finally understand that they cannot afford to fight any longer, and must coexist one way or another. Developments must still be followed cautiously, though. The new Indian government also postured for peace, but took little time in reverting to its own brand of extremism. Better results and a more rounded approach are expected of Afghanistan. The country has seen far too much war, and must finally decide what path it needs to follow, and which countries to make friends of, if it is to survive in the new environment.