Does Pakistan really want a stable and peaceful Afghanistan?

Sajid Shaukat, a Pakistan columnist has written an article in Pakistan newspaper ‘Observer’.  The title of his article is ‘why Pakistan wants stability in Afghanistan’.  Although the title tells a story itself but the details of the article really surprised me.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan Yusuf Reza Gilani has visited Kabul on 16^th of April to launch a joint Commission with Afghanistan.  Apparently the aim of this Commission is to facilitate, promote reconciliation and peace which will include all the Afghans so that when the US and NATO troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the situation in Afghanistan do not turn into violence and another civil war.

Mr Shaukat is full praise of the Commission and why shouldn’t he be? He claims that the Pakistan high officials and civil military have always been saying that a stable, viable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan. Pakistan has always made it clear that this country had no interest in ‘controlling’ Afghanistan.  Pakistan wants a peaceful, stable and friendly Afghanistan. A top Pakistan general, Kayani has said that “We cannot wish for Afghanistan anything that we don’t wish for Pakistan”. Come on Mr Shaukat, who you are really kidding?  Do you really think that you can make fool of Afghan people? If you think so, you are really make fool of yourself.

Let`s consider the Afghanistan – Pakistan relationship after the emergence of the Taliban.  I really wish if you could honestly tell who created Taliban movement? Who armed them? Who supported them financially?  Do you really think that the people of Afghanistan do not know the involvement of Pakistan army with Taliban?  Do you really think that Afghans will forget the Pakistan involvement in many massacres by Taliban in Mazar-Sharif, Bamyan, Yakowlang and many other parts of Afghanistan in 1997-98?  How can you hide the arrest of many top Pakistan military officials in Mazar-Sharif at the end of Taliban regime?  And even now where these suicide bombers are getting brain washed and then come to Afghanistan kill themselves and many more innocent people?  And still Pakistan does not want to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan…??

Mr Shaukat however, pointed his finger towards India and blames the India for the crisis in Afghanistan.  He claims that India has been running secret operations against Pakistan from its consulates, situated in Mazare-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kandhar and some parts of the Afghan-Pakistan border. Mr Shaukat says that India has spent million of dollars in Afghanistan to strengthen its grip on the country, and to get strategic depth against Pakistan.  Surprisingly Mr Shaukat claims that it is India that sending well-trained agents to Pakistan, who are joining the rank of Taliban.  India has also arranged some madressas in Afghanistan and paying for the Imams who are brain washing the suicide bombers.

I really cannot believe how Mr Shaukat making Pakistan such an honest and blameless country who want nothing but good for Afghanistan.  Whatever India is doing in Afghanistan at least it doesn’t support the Taliban and brainwash the suicide bomber.  It is clear to every Afghan that Afghanistan is one of the India and Pakistan battle ground but the country which is doing whatever it takes to harm its enemy is Pakistan.  There is no single blast or suicide bombing without the involvement of Pakistan either the suicide bomber trained in Pakistan or either he has been recruited by Pakistani agent.

The interference of the neighbouring countries in Afghanistan have been for many decades.  In fact Afghanistan has been a battle ground for its neighbours. Every neighbour has got its own interests in Afghanistan but the problem is they have done whatever they could to protect their interests in Afghanistan.  Their interference caused Afghanistan fortune.  I don’t want to take the blame away from Afghan people who have been in power too as their ignorance and selfishness is the main cause.  But the role its neighbouring countries have in the internal crises is out of question. Iran and Pakistan are the two main devil neighbours that has taken the life of thousands of Afghan people in different ways and created massive a problems for the country but the sad thing is it will continue for many years to come.