Express Tribune: ‘Afghanistan’s growing hostility to Pakistan’

Dr. Moonis Ahmar, a well-known Pakistani author, wrote in an article titled “Afghanistan’s growing hostility to Pakistan” that five decades of civil war, foreign intervention and unrest in Afghanistan not only negatively impacted Pakistan but also emerged as a major destabilising factor in Central, South and West Asia.

In an article in “Express Tribune”, this prominent Pakistani writer added, referring to the recent tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, that the aggravating relations Pakistan and Afghanistan in the wake of accusations and counter-accusations from both sides and back-to-back terrorist attacks from Afghanistan reflect serious hostility and trust deficit between the two countries.

“Pakistan has been instrumental in imposing Taliban rule in Afghanistan for reasons like having a pro-Pakistan government in Kabul rather than a regime with close rapport with India. If Pakistan was not supportive of the Taliban capturing power on August 15, why the then spy chief of Pakistan paid a visit to Kabul towards the end of the month, confidently predicting a smooth sailing for the Taliban regime?,” the article noted.

However, Mr. Ahmar has expressed: “Unfortunately, Pakistan miscalculated its expectations from both Taliban regimes and failed to get consent from Kabul about recognising the ‘Durand Line’.
Till the time Islamabad follows the mindset that Afghanistan must remain under its influence, it will not be able to have normal relations with Kabul. This time, the Taliban regime appears to be smarter than their previous counterparts”.

“The Pak-Afghan hostility reached its climax when both governments accused each other of interference and intervention. Pakistan’s foreign ministry and its Afghan counterpart are engaged in relentless accusations against each other, with Kabul blaming Islamabad of violating trade and transit agreement by closing the Torkham border crossing and not clearing Afghan imports and exports at Karachi port,” Dr. Moonis Ahmar put in.