Afghanistan Times
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Why things in the Af-Pak remain untidy? Why our region has been hit by troubles? Is it the will of God? Or the game of devils? Or the lack of political will and irony in our words and actions? Perhaps, political elites, both in Afghanistan and Pakistan, have been mastered in looking for troubles and creating them everywhere. And when it comes to diagnose, they do, but incorrectly. And the result is wrong remedies application. Why they should thump their chests for just keeping diplomatic missions intact or trading relations going on? Or why they should boast for holding peace conferences when no sides actually want peace to thrive in the region? Even if one side wants peace desperately the other side (party) denies it. And the result is in front of us all. The result is mayhem and bloodshed. The two countries have abysmally failed in providing security to their publics. Yes they enjoy lingual, religious, cultural and geographical bonds but despite that this region has been a hellhole for the past many decades where people are being killed as if they are insects. Humanity is on the death. Moral corruption on the hike as ever. Amid such a situation hearing about the revival of Af-Pak peace jirga is not a major breakthrough. It cannot be a major breakthrough because until there remains a lack of political will, holding such jirgas are meaningless. Even the change of government in Kabul and frequent visits of Pakistan’s top military and civilian leadership to Kabul didn’t bring about much change in the environment. Afghans are being harassed in Pakistan. And Islamabad never shies away from pointing its fingers at Kabul whenever there is any terror incident in Pakistan. When political and military leaders in the region talk of peace, regional integration and joint cooperation against terror, they should mean it. Just posing before cameras with silliest smiles doesn’t make things tidy and reformed. When developed nations are casting off prejudice on the basis of color, creed, race and religion, in our unfortunate part of the world, the opposite is happening. Racial prejudice as its peak, hatred is dominating, human minds are filled with intolerance and hearts are being corrupted. This is the reason Afghan refugees are being harassed, and people are dying in terrorism and sectarianism in the region. Though, apparently the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also the federal government have agreed that the refugees will not be forcibly repatriated to their homeland but covertly they encourage all kinds of police crackdowns on Afghans. Until, Pakistan, as a state, doesn’t throw away the coercive and anti-Afghan policy, holding Af-Pak peace jirga is a futile attempt. The two peoples should ask their governments where is the outcome of such jirgas, held in the past. The first peace jirga was held in 2008 in Kabul, but its positive effects are visible nowhere on the ground. Instead of peace jirgas the two neighboring countries should sign some binding agreements. And whoever violates the agreement should be held responsible. Until the two governments show commitment and maturity and what they say and do, this region will never see peace. Regional integration is the only answer to our common problems. However this requires stronger democratic foundations based on a political will, a will that’s aimed at putting an end to terrorism. A will that’s intolerant towards strategic designs.
