Af-Pak ties

National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf’s two-day visit to Afghanistan has achieved mixed results. On the positive side, modalities for barter trade have been initiated and details of this arrangement will be worked out in due course. Both sides have also refreshed their commitment to early completion of gas, power, and railway projects. Afghanistan and Pakistan have also decided to establish a national-level coordination mechanism for enhancing facilitation at border crossing points. These pledges will help both countries alleviate the miseries the Afghan people are going through due to a lack of international recognition of the new Taliban regime there. Yusuf met with senior Taliban officials to further cement diplomatic relations – though Pakistan has not yet accorded an official recognition to the Afghan Taliban as legitimate rulers of the country. But looking at the desire on both sides for better economic and social ties, diplomatic relations appear to be a formality now. Keeping in view a long-standing lack of peace and stability in Afghanistan, it is imperative that some sort of mechanism is devised now so that this region can finally get some respite.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders to ensure that yet another round of violence is not triggered anywhere in the region. Ensuring peace must be a top priority for this purpose and the efforts Pakistan has been making have drawn appreciation from many countries around the world. Since Afghanistan is in dire need of humanitarian assistance, it should not be Pakistan alone that should be shouldering the burden of an emerging situation that is looking bleak for Afghanistan. The Taliban regime is facing acute financial challenges; economic engagement on the part of other Muslim countries and major powers is essential to avert a major humanitarian crisis.

If the Taliban regime wants to get out of the current situation of isolation in the world they must try to alter their worldview about democracy, girls’ education, human rights, and of course women’s freedom of movement and employment. Establishing a barter trade mechanism with Pakistan may offer some temporary relief but is not a long-term solution. Without access to the international banking and financial system, the Taliban government is not likely to achieve much in the near future. For any substantive outcomes on the international level, the Taliban need to announce some major changes in their outlook and policies. Projects such as the Central-Asia South-Asia (CASA 1000) Power Project, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan- Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, and the Trans-Afghan Rail project will require billions of dollars which cannot flow without access to the international banking system. They are likely to remain on the wish-list of the neighbouring countries unless there is a positive response from the world community towards the Taliban regime. To get positive results, the Taliban must also show some positive steps – both politically and socially.