Hoping for a better tomorrow

The May 2, killing of Osama Bin Ladin in a US air raid closed the chapter of the world’s most wanted man on the earth. The architect is no more, however; the decades long story of the violent extremism in Afghanistan and the bordering tribal areas of Pakistan is yet to meet its logical end. News of the peace initiatives through dialogues, Pak-Afghan Jirgas and high profile visits of the Pak-Afghan delegates including those on the level of the head of states and government have been making headlines in the media from time to time on how to put an end to the rising tide of militancy in the Af-Pak region but still there is no luck. The factors behind the failures in achieving the desired goal may be the flawed mechanism, clash of interests amongst the parties to the issue, lack of seriousness, committement and strong political will on the part of the regional actors so far, however; the alarming situation on the ground would hardly allow anymore, any party, to hire further time for promoting its interests in the highly sensitive region of the world. These sensitivities prompted the regional political actors to realize that peace in Pakistan was conditional to peace in Afghanistan and that peace in Afghanistan could be ensured only when peace and tranquility would prevail on the Pakistan side of the divide. This growing realization prompted the Pak-Afghan leadership to speed up its efforts for launching fresh peace initiatives to bring the decade’s long debacle to its logical conclusion. The recent visit of the Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Islamabad following Premier Yousuf Raza Gillani and Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani’s visit to Kabul in April this year is part of the fresh peace process. Past experiences show that associating great hopes with this kind of visits would be unfair; however the timing for the launch of the peace initiatives speaks high for its importance. The deadline for the promised NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan is fast approaching. The United States would try its level best to leave behind a peaceful Afghanistan to justify its almost decades long expensive stay before its graceful exit from the region. The major success of the US-led allied forces came in the shape of Al Qaida’s top leader Osama Bin Ladin who was killed in Pakistan’s garrison city, Abbottabad on May 2. In addition, the outgoing US-led coalition forces team may cash on establishing a legitimate government with a legitimate parliament and a popularly elected president in Kabul. If it could make a move forward in engaging the Taliban in a dialogue process, the United States may confidently announce its withdrawal from a victory stand. This growing realization is, on the other hand, pushing the Afghan government hard to think seriously towards the challenges ahead for its national security in the post withdrawal scenario. Hamid Karzai was more open than ever in his recent visit for joining hands in launching joint ventures to curb the menace of terrorism. His tone was even more realistic on realizing Pakistan’s legitimate concern in his country. In her last visit to Islamabad, the US Secretary of State Ms Hillary Clinton also endorsed Pakistan’s stand on its legitimate concerns in Afghanistan and promised her country would do whatever it can to address these concerns. The same feelings were also shared by the UK ambassador to Afghanistan in his recent visit to Islamabad a few days ago. There is a growing realization in Pakistan too that it was the right time to get rid of the war on terror, a war which many would not own at all. Pakistan’s list of challenges is prolonging with every passing day. Engaged with the militants on its domestic front, Pakistan under increased pressure from the international community and specially from US for doing more, can ill afford to have tension on its eastern as well as on the western borders with the neighboring countries. The recent consecutive activities in Dir and Bajaur launched by the Afghanistan based militants that left scores of people dead and injured have sent a message across the relevant circles that the rising militant activities on both sides of the divide may gain even more momentum in the ill-manned and ill-equipped bordering region after the NATO withdrawal from the region. Tired with continuing wars, bombings and suicide blasts, the Pakistani nation is fast losing its patience. This anger is translated in everyday protest demos, strikes and street processions. Pakistani authorities can’t ignore this for a longer time. It has to listen to the voices of the suppressed and oppressed sections of the society. Taliban, on the other hand, who are neither losing patience nor time, though, are determined to fight till the last, however; positive feelings are being developed amongst the Taliban ranks that the continuing fighting must come to fruition now, no matter if at the cost of some compromises. The United Nation’s move of removing names of some of the most wanted men from the UN’s black list as a goodwill gesture definitely made the hard-core Taliban to announce concessions by softening its stand on education and women issues. Surprisingly, this time the Russians, contrary to its set norms in the past that had always been vocal in opposing any move favoring the Taliban in Afghanistan would not oppose the UN move. Amid this growing realization on the part of all the stakeholders, if exploited sincerely, the stage is all set for a decisive dialogue to settle the issue once for all. Being sons of the soil, the Taliban have the legitimate right to be part of any future administrative set up that would determine the future agenda for the war-ravaged Afghanistan. By taking them along, the exemplary peace, once witnessed during their five years rule, could once again reign on the tension-riddled Afghanistan. Their representation in the future administrative set up may offer concessions to the United States and its western allies by keeping a vigilant check on the production of drugs and its subsequent flow to the European markets. It can also favors the US on countering the rising Iranian influence in the Pashtun dominated Kabul. This move will ultimately leave little room for the foreign interference from the neighboring Central Asian States who have been backing their respective cronies in Afghanistan.