Pakistan unlikely to hurry in recognising Taliban

Pakistani army soldier stands guard while Afghans enter Pakistan through a border crossing point in Chaman, Pakistan. Chaman is a key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where normally thousands of Afghans and Pakistanis cross daily and a steady stream of trucks passes through, taking goods to Afghanistan. — AP

PAKISTAN may not hurry to recognise the Taliban as new rulers of Afghanistan this time and wait for regional powers like China, Russia and Iran to make their decisions, a prominent expert on regional security and terrorism issues said.

Zahid Hussain, author of No Win War-The paradox of US-Pakistan relations in Afghanistan shadow said what is happening in Afghanistan has direct consequences for Pakistan as the countries share a 2,500 km long porous border and the same people living across the lines.

Only three nations – Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia – recognised the previous Taliban regime which imposed an ultra-austere interpretation of Islam in Afghanistan.

“Pakistan is not overtly happy, but the changes are seen positive for the country. There are huge apprehensions too as a radical Islamic party like Taliban has taken control across the border,” Hussain told a webinar co-hosted by The Daily Star (Bangladesh), Dawn (Pakistan) and Jakarta Post (Indonesia) on Aug 26. They are members of the Asia News Network, an alliance of 23 media across 20 Asian countries.

What happened in the last few days in Afghanistan has taken everyone by surprise. Even the Taliban seem to be unprepared for the quick outcome of the offensive and the complete collapse of West-backed Afghan government, said Hussain, also a columnist at Dawn.

Though Pakistan has been working with US on its war against terror, the two countries have divergent goals in Afghanistan.

“In one hand, Pakistan is a partner of US in its war against terror, on the other it has very good relationship with Taliban leadership. In fact, most of the Taliban leadership who fled Afghanistan after 2001, managed sanctuary in Pakistan and from there they carried on their resistance against the occupying force,” he said.

The recent events in Afghanistan pose a few challenges for Pakistan.

Pakistan supported the Taliban whole-heartedly in the 1990’s but the situation has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. Pakistan has its own right-wing political parties and militancy problems and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan will surely boost them, he said.

Asia News Network analysts and regional experts looking at the regional implications of the changes in Afghanistan in a webinar entitled 'Afghanistan’s Taliban: Impacts on South and South-East Asia' recently.

Radical groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alternatively referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, have long been operating most of their activities from across the border.

As the Taliban have given commitment to Pakistan and also the international community not to allow any terror groups to operate from Afghanistan, Pakistan also hopes that it may help solve its cross-border militancy problem, he added.

“But the situation is really tricky. Their objectives might differ but their world views are the same. Only time can tell if the Taliban can actually keep their promises on this issue.”

Secondly, Pakistan is worried about a possible refugee influx through its porous 2500-km-long border with Afghanistan. The country already hosts around 3 million Afghan refugees and further addition of refugees will be a problem, Hussain said.

“There is huge apprehension that the change in Afghanistan will have a huge impact on regional geopolitics,” he said adding that US, China, Russia, Iran all have huge stakes here.

“One can hope that this region would not become a playground for world powers again,” he said. — The Daily Star/Asia News Network