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10 Feb 2016 - 09:42
author avatar
10 Feb 2016 - 09:42

The chaos today in world order is not an ordinary one but it is more pervasive and organic where all measurement taken for the normalcy seems very sluggish and lethargic. If we look towards the most advanced part of the world Europe, it is too looming towards worst political, social and economic disarray. To one side it is confronting with Russia, on the other side it faces economic stagnation, massive refuges challenge and political division within the continent.

In a very delineated perspective the former ambassador of Pakistan in UN Munir Akram in his current article publish in daily dawn stated that “The technology and capital are now available to end world poverty and remove the most pervasive cause of conflict. Unfortunately, greed stands in the way. The world is more unequal today than ever before in history. Half of the world’s wealth is owned by 1pc of its population”. The condition of the underdeveloped world is more vulnerable and anarchic. Asia is also facing the worst political and social disorder. The crisis of Middle East revealing in a more regional confrontation. The reactionary Saudi Regime and Shia aristocratic sectarian Iran are both intensifying the religious political fascist cults in the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia. With the passing of each day the murky and dirty face of the ISIS is deeply bathing with the blood of the innocent people. The Arab Spring is resulting in a more violent political trauma.    

The English writer and expert on Middle East Robert Fisk is constantly telling truth to the post-colonial lords of Arab geography, the French, the English and the American. From more than twenty years he is corresponding for the Independent newspaper from Middle East. Last years he writes an article for Independent about the Isis rise. Where he shows clearly the wrong choices of the past of European and American political elites for the region. He also clearly indicate the deeply schism clearly lies in the colonial divide Arab geography. He said that “   George W Bush and Tony Blair told us before marching into the graveyard of Iraq in 2003. We are always declaring ourselves “at war”. We are told to be merciless. We must invade “their” territory to stop them invading ours. But the days are long gone when we can have foreign adventures and expect to be safe at home. New York, Washington, Madrid, London, Paris all tell us that. Perhaps if we spoke more of “justice” – courts, legal process for killers, however morally repugnant they may be, sentences, prisons, redemption for those who may retrieve their lost souls from the ISIS midden – we would be a little safer in our sceptered continent. There should be justice not just for ourselves or our enemies, but for the peoples of the Middle East who have suffered this past century from the theatre of dictatorships and cardboard institutions we created for them – and which have helped Isis to thrive”. He further added that “Isis In a borderless world, the days when we could fight foreign wars and be safe at home may be long gone”. We must be very clear about the looming threat, Isis was quick to understand a truth the West must now confront, that the national borders imposed by colonial powers 100 years ago are becoming meaningless.

 

In this extremely uncertain global scenario the future of the Afghan state is also tottering with its weak institutional performance. The reconciliation process is too very complex and shaky. The blame game among the regional states about the religious proxies is now become a political culture. The recent Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) discussed an uncertain date – possibly by February-end – for a direct meeting between Afghan officials and the insurgents. The four-nation bloc will meet again on February 23 in Kabul factors. It is the interests of outside powers that have engulfed our country”. The Afghan government must give due consideration to the former president proposal. The third round of (QCG) talks was hosted by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry. Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson and China’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Deng Xijun led their own sides at the talks.

 

China is now changing its policy on Afghanistan, shifting from a stance of noninterference to one of active stakeholder in the Afghanistan. The shift has occurred for a number of reasons.  Lu Yang the expert on china’s diplomatic relations with South Asian politics has highlighted these reasons. He said that “Domestic peace and stability in Afghanistan not only directly influence the security of China’s western frontier region but also have a direct impact on China’s investments in Afghanistan, making the stability of the country important to Beijing. In August 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama criticized China’s traditional policy of noninterference in crisis-plagued regions and called China a “free rider” for not taking responsibility as a stakeholder in the international system. In fact, the stationing of NATO troops in Afghanistan, to a certain degree, has been conducive to China’s efforts in its western region to fight the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which is a violent separatist group founded by Uighur militants in Xinjiang Province. The troop presence has also helped to maintain the stability of China’s border regions”. In this regards the role of China is also very important and cannot be underestimate in reconciliation process.

 

On 23 January this year Pugwash international NGO also organized a conference in the capital city of Qatar, Doha between the Taliban and Afghan government. Where Taliban representative also participated. The aim of the conference was to find solution for the Afghan quagmire. Qatar is a key country for Afghanistan’s stability, mainly because it hosts the U.S. bases. Qatar is deeply interested in the Afghan affairs for its regional interest. Qatar’s foreign policy is made by members of the Al Thani ruling family, especially the Emir, his heir, the prime minister, and the foreign minister. The topmost drivers of Qatar’s foreign policy have been protecting its security and countering Iranian influence. But under visionary Emir Tamim leadership Qatar has also built the balance relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia. Qatar has reached deeply in relation with the Taliban by providing them a political office. A majority of Qatar’s population are migrants from other countries, mainly from South Asia. They have not been a risk to stability, but their presence could disturb Qatari internal or foreign policy over the next 12 years. Political instability in Qatar could contribute to higher oil prices or disrupt the flow of remittances to South Asia. Qatar has also long been involved in the Middle Eastern affairs. The recent diplomatic breakdown between Saudi Arabia and Iran is also making problem for Qatar to adjust the balance in the region. It is too very important for the Afghan foreign office to understand accurately the Qatari interest in the Afghan affairs and should take advantage from the initiative.

Afghan government must also keep under consideration the upcoming potential spring offensive from the Taliban. Besides giving attentions to these different initiatives of Beijing, Islamabad and Doha reconciliation process the Afghan government must also take substantial steps on the security sides. Afghan National Army must be equipped with all modern weapons and discipline. Education and professionalism must be imparted to the ANA on the emergency bases. The nascent ANA cadres must be protected from the drug addiction. The high ranking officer must be highly qualified, professional, creative, discipline and professional in ANA. For more than three decades of conflict in Afghanistan—the opium trade has become deeply embedded in the politics of the region. The ANA institution must be protected and kept away from this menace. Due and just public performance is the vital responsibility of the state institutions which fill the gaps between state and masses. State must behave like mother for its citizens and more democratic for the greater and durable integration between institutions and people. As Woodrow Wilson quoted that “The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy”. In Afghanistan also this invisible corrupt tribal bureaucratic strata must be discourage and eliminated.   

Sher Jan    

 

 

 

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