The trilateral dialogue

• A realistic approach

There can be no peace in the region without joint efforts by Pakistan and Afghanistan who are themselves the major sufferers from terrorism. What stands in the way is the decades old mistrust and suspicions. Islamabad is convinced that Kabul is allowing Indian proxies to launch terrorist attacks inside Pakistan from its soil. Kabul on the other hand firmly believes that Pakistan is behind the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network who are wreaking havoc in Afghanistan. Attempts made so far to bring peace to the region failed to bring the two sides together.

The trilateral process initiated by Beijing and comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan and China suggests an incremental approach starting from the easier initiatives to the more difficult ones. The two countries have to improve relations step by step by deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations without any distinction. All this is to be done voluntarily with the active help of China as a partner in the process. Besides being a participant China has also to assume the role of a mutually trusted honest broker.

The Afghan government knows that despite its close relations with India, New Delhi cannot play any meaningful role in bringing the Afghan Taliban to the negotiations table or helping Afghanistan to fight them. Afghanistan’s trade with other countries is more feasible through roads and railway networks under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) than through Chabahar or the costly air service provided by India. This explains the understanding reached in Beijing to advance connectivity under the BRI which is bound to shock India.

The three sides reaffirmed that a broad-based and inclusive peace and reconciliation process which is “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” and fully supported regionally and internationally is the most viable solution to end the violence in Afghanistan. The approach should attract the Afghan Taliban as neither Pakistan nor China is involved in hostilities against them. The date of the next meeting has not been fixed. The promise offered by the trilateral approach is contingent on how far Pakistan and Afghanistan succeed in working together and how the Taliban react to a move which is much better than what the US offers them. This will become clear by the time the next meeting is held.