Pakistan and Afghanistan A Study of 2018 Manifestos of Pakistan’s Political 1
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Daesh in the last couple of years.5 Recently, Afghan government offered talks with Taliban without any precondition, which was turned down by Taliban, vowing to talk with the real player, the US.6 Lately, the US, has also indicated that it is prepared to talk directly with Taliban. Despite these developments, there is little hope regarding peace in the near future in Afghanistan. Afghanistan. Afghan state doesn’t have control over a large territory, Taliban have parallel setups in a number of provinces. Members of the National Unity Government itself are at horns with one another on several issues, worsening the already poor governance. 7
akistan-Afghanistan relations have many overlapping dimensions. The high and low in the relation effects every field of life in the wake of historical, geographical and cultural and religious linkages as well as economic interests. The developments developments in the political and strategic arena in the last few decades have made Afghanistan a key focus of regional and world politics. As part, as well as a consequence of these developments the US and NATO forces are present in the country for last seventeen years. 2 Meanwhile, other regional players have are also active in Afghanistan.3 On the other hand, resistance against the external forces is persistent without a break. 4 Adding to the complexities is the growing presence and influence of
Pakistan is affected directly, or indirectly by the situation in Afghanistan. Along with a host of other
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This brief is part of a larger study being conducted at IPS to understand the national mood in light of the approach of various Political Parties, participating in the elections 2018, on subjects of important issues r elated to the National Agenda. 2 Natasha Bertrand and Daniel Brown PM, “Here's how the longest war in US history has unfolded”, Business Insider, Aug. 22, 2017, https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-the-longest-war-in-us-history-has-unfolded-2017-8 3 James Griffiths, “Who are the key players in Afghanistan?, September 19, 2017 CNN , https://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/26/asia/afghanistan-pakistan-india-china-russia-us/index.html 4 Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction in its latest report published in April said that, there were 59 districts under insurgent control (13) or influence (46), an increase of one district under insurgent influence since last q uarter. 119 districts (29.2%) are contested — controlled controlled by neither the Afghan government nor the insurgency. https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2018-04-30qr.pdf insurgency. https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2018-04-30qr.pdf 5 “Is ISIS gaining ‘serious’ ground in Afghanistan? Russia says yes. The US says no.”, https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2018/03/29/is-isis-gaining-serious-ground-in-afghanistan-russia-says-yes-theus-says-no/ 6 Hamid Shalizai, James Mackenzie, “Afghanistan's Ghani offers talks with Taliban 'without preconditions'”, Reuters, February 28, 2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-taliban/afghanistans-ghani-offers-talks-with-talibanwithout-preconditions-idUSKCN1GC0J0 7 First Vice President last week arrived in Kabul, after one year exile in Turkey. CEO Abdullah Abdullah and President Ashraf Ghani are at horn on the issue of Identity cards and several other issues. Read an instance, https://thediplomat.com/2017/10/a-house-divided-how-afghanistans-national-unity-government-is-crumbling/
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security and political issues refugees living in Pakistan is one of the manifestations of this phenomenon. According to UNHCR Pakistan is currently home to 1.38 million registered Afghan refugees.8 The repatriation of these refugees has remained a tough, if not impossible job, both for Pakistan and international humanitarian organizations. There are border management issues as well. 9 The opportunity provided for people to people movement movement is also availed by the militants as well as drug peddlers. Both countries allege each other for intervention and violence and interference in each other’s countries. countries. Afghan transit trade is another important subject of the relations between the two countries.
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Can we say that the political parties have generally ignored Afghanistan in their manifestos?
In this overall context, context, Pakistan’s Afghan policy should enjoy an extremely crucial and important subject in any debate about future thinking of political parties aspiring aspiring for representation representation in the parliament parliament or form a government. Looking into the electoral manifestos of the major political parties, we find that not much space has been given to the subject as a specific focus. In some cases, the subject has been discussed indirectly in the context of the overall approach and emphasis related to Foreign policy or Security issues. issues. A brief description description of the manifestos manifestos depicts the following: ▪
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PPP has mentioned in the border management context that the “growing influence of IS in Eastern Afghanistan poses a potent threat to Pakistan, and the border will be better policed and patrolled”. (PPP Manifesto p. 57) On trade and economy, the PPP has proposed to establish Pak-Afghan Reconstruction Opportunity Zones, including the revitalization of TAPI project. MQM has pledged to t o stop the abuse of Afghan Transit Trade. In PML-N manifesto, better management of Afghan Transit Trade and regional economic integration is promised.
Apparently, it is so. The reason may be the stalemate that is prevailing since so many years and therefore the general view that there are very little chances of a breakthrough in near future in Afghanistan; thus, the existing policy will continue to be carried out. Another reason could be the background of civil-military relations in Pakistan and the perception that the civil government has little say in finalizing such subjects. ANP has however pledged to give special attention to the relations with Afghanistan, and enhance cooperation in educational, cultural and economic fields. It has also stressed that bilateral relations shall be conducted strictly on the basis of sovereign equality and noninterference in each other’s internal affairs. (ANP affairs. (ANP Manifesto p.26)
PMLN has stressed that “Peace and security in Afghanistan is intertwined with peace and security in Pakistan”. (PMLN Manifesto p.63). Likewise, PPP has maintained that its multi-ethnic approach to Afghanistan will continue (p.26), and that PPP will not support a specific faction or group in the country. Instead, will shore up people-to-people relation with the country. Both PPP and PML-N have specifically supported Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, while other parties haven’t mentioned it directly. An honorable repatriation of Afghan refugees is also mentioned in PPP manifesto, “PPP will work with Kabul to ensure the dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees”. The repatriation of refugees is also mentioned in BNP-Mengal manifesto).
PPP has also specifically shed light on the relation with Afghanistan along with other major partners in International Relations and neighboring countries, under the heading of “Negotiating the changing Global Order”. Before discussing Afghanistan, it has stated that PPP will not allow use of the country’s soil for military bases. It declared that PPP will not enter into agreements that erode Pakistan’s authority. authority. (p.57). PPP on Afghanistan has stressed that their stance of not supporting any specific group, faction or tribe is consistent and will be so. It has pointed out
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http://www.unhcr.org/pakistan.html Ayaz Gul, “Pakistan: Fencing of Border with Afghanistan on 'Fast Track'”, VOA, April 19, 2018. ,https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-fencing-of-border-with-afghanistan-on-fast-track-despite-clasheschallenges/4355818.html
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that “greater political, military, and intelligence intelligence cooperation with Kabul is essential to stem the flow of old and new transcendental challenges including militant spillover, the regional emergence of Daesh, drugs and arms”. The manifesto says that we believe that Pakistan can play a greater role by building a strong and sustainable partnership for socio-economic rebuilding and development of Afghanistan. (P.58)
It can be said that peace in Afghanistan is as important for Pakistan as it is for Afghanistan itself. Looking at the past experience its necessary to remind that a well-coordinated policy that has the support of the nation ensures the most productive outcomes. Seen from this perspective it is encouraging that the political parties’ manifesto mentioned above don’t have any fundamental difference of approach on the issue. It provides an opportunity for the upcoming government government that t hat while maintaining and strengthening it should take imitative and draw a well-coordinated policy. However, it should be kept in view that the international players are active in Afghanistan for their own sets of goals and policies. On the other hand international mafias related to drugs and arms smuggling are also playing a role in intensifying the already multi-layered conflict. Therefore, any policy made should not only focus the bilateral aspects of the relations but also take into account the larger picture.
Apart from ANP and PPP, PTI, MQM and MMA haven’t specifically discussed Afghanistan in their manifestos except an emphasis in foreign policy part in the general expression of ‘ better better relations with neighbors, and dispute resolution through dialogue’ dialogue’. Both these points are obviously though indirectly are related to Afghanistan as well.
Prepared by: Bakht Noor Trainee Research Coordinator Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad.
For queries: Syed Nadeem Farhat Senior Research Coordinator
[email protected] | www.ips.org.pk
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