Still a long way to go to achieve a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. The war is over, but absolute peace remains a dream under the Taliban despite a peace agreement was reached after years of closed-door, and public negotiations between the Taliban and the USA-led alliance to end violence in Afghanistan.
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, which was cautiously welcomed by the regional and world capitals. The International community followed the policy of wait-and-see by attaching pre-conditions to recognize the Taliban self-proclaimed government – the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Apart from other conditions, the world has been closely monitoring the Taliban’s internal security as well as not allowing its land to be used against the USA and its allies. However, the International community is not satisfied with the Taliban’s actions. Though it was repeatedly stated that it has been committed to its pledges, made in the Doha peace deal.
The UN, USA, Pakistan, and other countries have been raising concerns over the reorganization of International terrorist organizations that may fear destabilizing the region. Some of the terrorist groups have their global agenda or are carrying out attacks in their respective countries. If the Taliban cannot reign in these groups that may have spillover effects across the Afghan frontiers.
Reports say several global militant groups have been actively using Afghan soil for their cross-border campaigns. Violence has increased manifolds in Pakistan since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021. Pakistan has publicly claimed that several Pakistani terrorist groups have been using Afghan soil for their attacks. Pakistani authorities have been asking Kabul to take action against these terrorist groups.
Pakistan caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar has categorically stated that there was a 60 percent rise in the terrorist attacks inside Pakistan since the Taliban took over Kabul and a 500 percent increase in suicide attacks.
However, the Taliban denies the allegations that the Afghan soil has been used by the militants against Pakistan or any other countries. Zabihullah Mujahid, a central spokesman of the Taliban, has asked Pakistan to provide substantial evidence on the issue of cross-border attacks. Pakistan says it has already provided solid proof of the cross-border attacks.
The growing violence in Pakistan during the last two years has adversely affected the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The ties between the two neighboring countries hit an all-time low in the recent past. There is no progress on the issue as no high-level interaction to resolve the outstanding issues. Mere public denials would not serve the purpose but a serious dialogue is needed as both countries are interdependent and interconnected.
The USA is also backing Pakistan’s case against the Taliban that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was active in Afghanistan by training its fighters there. The US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West in his recent visit to Islamabad said TTP poses a serious threat to Pakistan. He assured Pakistan that the USA will stand by Pakistan.
The potential threat from the terrorist outfits is not linked to Pakistan alone. Several militant groups and global terrorists have been reportedly active in Afghanistan including members of al-Qaeda, Jundullah, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkestan, and many others. These groups pose a threat to regional and international peace and security.
The Taliban is fighting against the Islamic State of Khorasan or DAESH Khorasan as it considers it a security challenge, which the analysts see as the only opposition to the Taliban. However, the Taliban is not taking measures to check the global jihadi outfits that had been allied for decades to fight against the foreign troops in Afghanistan.
Several reasons stop the Taliban from taking action against the foreign terrorist groups active in Afghanistan. The Taliban is having a soft corner for its former allies and treats them as guests in Afghanistan. These groups have freedom of movement, access to the leftover modern weapons of the US but now with the Taliban, and also train their fighters.
Some analysts view the growing activities of these groups as either they are powerful or having ideological support within the Taliban ranks and files. The leadership of the Taliban also fears any action against the foreign militants may have a backlash on them.
There is no major internal security challenge for the Taliban, except the IS-K threat, which has carried out attacks on the senior leaders of the Taliban. There is complete control of the Taliban over Afghanistan, so it does not want to open a new front to divert its attention from the sole threat of IS-K.
Afghanistan is facing multiple challenges and it could not live in isolation for long. If the Taliban wants to win the support of the international community, it has to fully implement the Doha peace agreement in letters and spirits. Its actions should match its words. It should show flexibility to move forward. The policy of animosity could lead Afghanistan to nowhere but instability.
Besides peace and stability, it needs to fight against poverty and provide basic needs to millions of Afghans. The Taliban should take all the political and ethnic groups on board to take Afghanistan out of the crisis.
However, this is a two-way business and the international community should play an effective role in the development of Afghanistan. Millions of Afghans should not be abandoned at this critical hour. Afghanistan should not be left isolated but the policy of engagement should be adopted.
The situation should be monitored closely to avoid a replay of the past. If the world left a vacuum again in Afghanistan that would be filled by the enemies of peace. Not only the Taliban but the international community would equally be responsible for any future mishap.
