Current Affairs Notes by Shanza Faiq (CSS 2018, FSP)

Issues that have been impacting Pakistan-Afghanistan relations:

• unbridled rumors regarding the Taliban’s linkages with Pakistan and their periodic adventurism
• the status of the Durand Line/border fencing (Taliban’s breach)
• Indo-Afghan relations
• the landlocked nature of Afghanistan
• the presence of foreign forces
• Continuance of drone strikes (recent killing of Zawahiri)
• the undesired critical speeches of the Afghan leaders unnecessarily vilifying Pakistan.
• Pro-Taliban afghan populace who see Pakistan providing bases to USA, supporting USA in imposing a minority govt on them and pro American populace which see Pakistan as sympathizing with Taliban and providing them sanctuaries

Steps Afghanistan needs to take:

• The Afghans need to check and minimize corruption if they are unable to eliminate it altogether to reduce fairly heavy dependency upon the drug barons
• transform its drug-based economy
• accelerate work on the developmental projects which could improve the job situation
• introduce and undertake effective measures in order to improve law and order situation
• improve techniques of police training
• initiate and embark upon political approaches
• expand and accelerate the training program for its army
• avoid undiplomatic and irresponsible speeches and statements
• cooperate with Pakistan in order to jointly work towards the attainment of peace and stability in Afghanistan etc

Impact on Pakistan:

• The desired gas from Turkmenistan can only be procured once the situation in Afghanistan stabilizes
• The turmoil in Afghanistan has only blocked Pakistan’s access to Central Asian States
• adversely impacted upon Pakistan’s potential as an energy and trade corridor
• seriously affected stability in FATA
• currency devaluation with dollar
• refugees
• Organized crime, drug trafficking

What has Pakistan done to help Afghanistan?

• Pakistan allowed the aid shipped from India to Afghanistan via the Wagah land border crossing in Afghan trucks, ending an impasse over the transportation of humanitarian aid.
• In November 2021, Islamabad hosted a meeting of the extended Troika, comprising Pakistan, China, Russia, and the United States to discuss the latest situation in Afghanistan.
• Pakistan participated in the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of Neighbouring Countries of Afghanistan in Oct in Iran and presented the idea of creating a mechanism for the six neighbours of Afghanistan to develop a unified regional approach. Next in China in 2022
• Pakistan hosted the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC): establishment of a Humanitarian Trust Fund under the Islamic Development Bank, Launching of a Food Security Program, Appointment of a Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary-General
• Post 15 August, Pakistan played a pivotal role in the safe evacuation of over 80 thousand individuals, pledged Rs5 Billion aid to Afghanistan
• In the wake of the OIC Conference, the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2615 reaffirmed that the provision of humanitarian and other assistance to Afghanistan was not a violation of UN sanctions.
• November Troika Plus meeting (US, Russia, China, Pakistan

Post-withdrawal issues:

• Liquidity, lack of banking channels, unfreezing of Afghan assets
• More refugees, currency depreciation, increased Pak-US deterioration of ties
• China will not stomach an unreformed taliban; hoodhbhoy
• UAE and KSA weary of Taliban spreading extremism to their states which they are trying to liberalize
• Whether Pakistan likes it or not, the reality is that the world views an unstable Afghanistan as an outcome of Pakistan’s double game
• The perfect outcome for Pakistan would be to see the Taliban compromising with other political actors and stakeholders in Afghanistan.
• the fencing along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, completed in June 2021, will not serve its purpose until used selectively. It would be hard to differentiate between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan Taliban when they cross the border.