Pak-Afghan crisis
Photo: AFP
I was reading an article by Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury in a Dhaka daily (May 3, 2009). It was written about the importance of keeping Pakistan undivided and maintaining its existence and the negative consequences the countries in the sub-continent can face if Pakistan were to collapse. He very correctly pointed out the fact that the Taliban militants, who are now becoming increasingly dangerous for Pakistan, are basically the creation of the UK and the US (the US scheme to finance and train militants in Pakistan to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, during the 80s). Mr. Gaffar in his article refers to the recent statement of US Secretary of State-- Hillary Clinton-- where she herself has admitted, and rarely have we heard US high officials being so candid and truthful, that the US is to a very large extent responsible for the present sorry state of Pakistan. Furthermore, he went on to highlight another very important aspect of the situation in Pakistan. He wrote that the intervention of the UK and US armed forces in both Afghanistan and Pakistan is not seen in good light by the people in these countries. They see this emergence of foreign forces, in their regions, as a symbol of imperialism and thus the Taliban is enjoying direct or tacit support among people in these countries as well as the support of a majority portion of the Pakistan army. So, unless the US occupying forces withdraw from Afghanistan, the democratic forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan will not be able to become strong. And at the same time the withdrawal of US troops will reduce whatever support the Taliban presently enjoys, among the general people in these two countries. He suggests that the only way this conflict can be overcome is to ensure withdrawal of US troops (as war is not the solution) and undertake huge infrastructure rebuilding and rehabilitation projects in the war-ravaged areas, under the supervision of the UN, and finally arrange regional peace meetings where the representatives of Taliban have to be invited (he cites the example of the IRA of Ireland here). Otherwise, if Pakistan breaks due to civil war or if US forces occupy Pakistan, then the entire subcontinent's security will be under threat.
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