An overwhelming focus on South Asia’s terrorism problem has been a key highlight during the 6th session of the Heart of Asia ministerial conference which is taking place in Amritsar, India.
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and the Indian Prime minister, Narendra Modi’s joint inauguration of the conference was, by and large, meant to send a message to Islamabad that both countries are united against the latter’s alleged policy of using non-state actors as means of foreign policy. In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Modi said that voices of support for Afghanistan’s peace should be “backed by resolute action not just against forces of terrorism but also against those who support shelter, train and finance them.”
Moreover, it was another attempt on New Dehli’s part to enlist maximum diplomatic cooperation to carry on the newly adopted policy of isolating Pakistan regionally and globally. Modi’s new drive to expose Pakistan’s alleged policy of supporting terrorist groups in the region began with the cancellation of the SAARC summit last month in Islamabad where New Dehli’s assertive diplomacy made sure that the key regional states having similar grievances against Pakistan were not participating in the summit.
Afghanistan’s President, Ashraf Ghani has been quick to jump on the Modi’s bandwagon aimed at lambasting Pakistan wherever opportunity arises. President Ghani, at the beginning of his presidency attempted to enroll Islamabad’s support in order to bring the Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table. The attempt, however, has proven a nonstarter with Kabul, which blames Pakistan for not following up on its commitments in this regard. While the Heart of Asia forum saw Afghanistan’s president showering appreciation on New Dehli’s recent financial and military assistance, he scoffed at Islamabad’s pledged assistance for similar purposes by stressing that Pakistan should use the money to contain terrorism inside its territories which poses an immediate threat his country. “There’s need for a fund to combat extremism. Pakistan has generously pledged US$500 million for reconstruction of AFG. This fund could very well be used for containing extremism because without peace any amount of assistance will not meet the needs of our people,” said President Ghani in a social media message.
The participation of the Pakistani Prime Minister’s advisor on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, in the conference can be characterized as an effort aimed at countering New Dehli and Kabul’s recent diplomatic hostility. The presence of Pakistan’s delegation in India sends a message to international community that the country, unlike Afghanistan and India, welcomes dialogue and diplomacy rather than confrontation and hostility. While it’s unlikely that the visit of Pakistan’s delegation can prove an icebreaker as far the recent enmity between Pakistan and India is concerned, the symbolic nature of the visit offers Islamabad diplomatic high ground which would certainly become a talking point in the coming days and months.
In this protracted conflict triangle, Afghanistan’s recent policy of overt hostility towards Pakistan puts the country in a difficult situation. One can argue that while Pakistan and India can afford to engage in an unconcealed diplomatic row, Kabul’s prevailing compromising security, economic and political situation doesn’t allow enough diplomatic space where it can openly pick and choose between India and Pakistan.
Afghanistan cannot simply write-off Pakistan when the latter’s questionable policy of sheltering some militant groups have remained tied with India’s presence in Afghanistan. While Afghanistan blames Pakistan for the failure of the recent dialogue process with Afghan Taliban, the current afghan government has not focused on the country’s internal weak and compromising security and political structures that have clearly failed in containing militancy in the country.
While an open hostility towards Pakistan will not resolve Kabul’s security problems, the policy will further maximize already entrenched air of distrust between the both countries. Kabul should make sure that it continues to engage Pakistan rather than firing cylinders of hostility – to some extent appease India – which will certainly compromise the country’s security interests in the long run.
Nadim Salim
Kashmir was resolved once for all at Kargil heights in 1999.
Much earlier, Nehru told Bhuto: We are in a bind. You can not take Kashmir from us and we are not going to give to you either.
Nadim Salim : Get back on medication dude…
Mr. Jamal is choking on hot curry, oh thats why pakistani people lie! Hemorrhoids maybe!?
Saeed Khan : Take those to Pakistan who do not want live in India…After all Pakistan was created for those Muslimes who didn’t want to live with Hindus. We can help them pack their bags and give a free bus ticket to LaHore….
Nadim Salim : Exactly!! and when are you vacating POK, Gilgit, Baltistan and the Northern Areas?? When are you vacating Balochistan??
Nadim Salim : Better then the the stories of 72 houries and what not???
Nadim Salim They never had military alliance like during British time…..when Indian army was working for british directly.It is possible in future china & russia may demand it….they will say there is no free ride.
One can argue without an end as to who is the sponsor of terrorism. Is it the financer, trainer and executor of terrorists who massacre 150 odd school children or the attackers of the army bases along the Line Of Control in a disputed territory? Regardless, it appears like the real problem of the human rights violations resulting from a brutal occupation by a million-man armed force, who operate under draconian medieval laws with complete impunity to suppress the stone-throwing youth begging for a right of self determination granted to them by the United Nations, is tactfully pushed to the back burner. Of course, with the world’s largest democracy’s "Can Do No Wrong" mindset everything can be justified.
Theres a reason why People hate Pakistan. And its definitely not about Muslim country, bcos there are lots of Muslim countries in Middle East and South Asia, like Indonesia, Malaysia, UAE, Saudi and world doesnt hate them.
India has admittd with the help of KGB those genocide was commited of innocent people in East Pakistan and played the blame game
well said sir the answer remains Kashmir
i like fiction literature thank you
offcourse i will be interested in next 2 decades how the foul mouthed xtian the killer of jew,idolator,communist civilization is going to drive a wedge between India,Pakistan,china,bangladesh,iran,afghanistan,arabs to keep himself relevant.the xtian theology talks of its summon bonum for existence which is divide & rule……bribery,doing honey trap,brainwashing,occupying which is media,ngos,government,politicians,covert groups etc etc etc.
Don’t even be surprised also if Pakistan,Indian,Bangladeshi,Afghan,Taliban,let will conduct a army exercise at edge of kabul also……which will send panic attack to vatican & americans also.
Also India & Afghanistan can’t blame Pakistan alone….they have to blame Americans & Vatican also for the mess….because both of them also did their surgical strike on ecosystem to kill one civilization so only theirs can dominate ….so Pakistanis will look at their National interest,.if vatican & xtians can use their educational institutes,ngos for their nefarious activities……pakistanis will marshall their assets which is ISI & Army & special forces for their objectives also.But only thing is when will pakistan,bangladesh & their compromised Indians will turn on xtians in europe or they will go to Jerusalem first to spread their gospels….which is you f..ucked me i f..uck you back now.
Pakistan is being propped up by Americans like they did in 1970s to maintain xtian hegemony in the world.The xtians just like how crooked clinton lied hid everything about Bangladesh Genocide.
Now Pakistan has infiltrated into everything in Asia except china,japan….politicians in their pocket,army compromised,police,judges media,Religious leaders everything compromised in India with Bangladeshi etc etc.You could see how easily they staged attacks in Nagorta,Pathankot & how quickly Russia changed its diplomatic position of abandoning India to Pakistan……it tells you they know more about impending crisis.
Also china & america will jostle for Pakistan influence because to stage covert war pakistan role is very important.Pakistan is going to demand latest weapons from America,China & Russia now.America has to pour billions of dollars to save Israel now.
So afghans are better off making peace with Pakistan rather than India…though the Pakistanis won’t mind whomsoever you do deals since they virtually run the show in India,Bangladesh,Afghanistan.They will stage a little bit of attack here & there in India just for diversion.
Three major terrorist attacks have taken place in 2016 along the Indo-Pak border by allegedly Pakistan-based militants: Pathankot, Uri and Nagrota. Names of some non-state agencies are mentioned without complete proof. Perhaps these agencies are operating with the help of agencies such as the ISI in Pakistan. The civilan govt in Pakistan does not appear to be abe to prevent these non state agencies from functioning and carrinig out attacks in India. Some in India assume that there is a conflict in Pakistan between civilian and military agencies with the military having the upper hand givern Pakistan’s past as a military dictatorship. Otherwise how can one explain these terrorist attacks in India?. .
As they say WAGES OF TERROR ARE PAID SOONER OR LATER….
Mr. Umair Jamal should know that in the 1990s when Taliban took over Afghanistan they created a medival hell for Afghan citizens, invited scum of the Earth like Alqueda to train terrorists and Jihadis and drug peddling, until they were deposed by USA after 9/11 carnage in New York when the Twin towers fell to terrorist of Alqueda.
The fact is during that time, Pakistan supported Taliban, armed, equiped, funded, trained and used Afghanistan territory to train and recruite terrorists to cause mayhem in India’s J&K state, they used Afghanistan as their 5th province and stretigic depth. India weathered all the foreign Jihadis and sent them to meet their maker, and meet those fictional 72 houries…not sure any of these hate mongers have received an SMS or phone call from the good terrorists (i.e. dead ones).
Since 2001, Mr. Hamid Karzai tried his level best to make Pakistan see his way and stop supporting terrorist Talibans, including stating that if India were to attack Pakistan, then Afghanistan will stand with brother Pakistan. Mr. Ashraf Ghani, left Indian offers for development and chose to appease Pakistan in a demonstrated manner, but to no avail. Pakistan continued to differentiate between good and bad Taliban. Today both former & current presidents of Afghanistan don’t miss an opportunity to vent against Pakistan, who wants Taliban terrorists as rulers in Afghanistan so that they can do Pakistan’s bidding against India.
The thing is, this is 2016, India has a dynamic, strong willed and Nationalist Govt. in place, it has the money to buy top of the lines and India is 10x stronger economically and 5x stronger militarily, with Nuclear Arms that can destroy Pakistan, if it really came to that stage. USA has finally learned that Pakistan has been double dealing them that has cost thousands of NATO soldier lives, and Pakistan is now a Chinese concubine…
So, Pakistan Army/ISI will be well advised to close its Universities of terrorism and factories hatching venomous serpents, many of whom like TTP have turned on the MOTHER SHIP of terrorism itself, and killed thousands of Pakistani citizens.