Afghanistan Times
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There has been much hullabaloo over the upcoming quadrilateral meeting in Islamabad in mid-January. It is believed that Afghanistan, US, China and Pakistan would discuss ways to device new peace mechanism. After the mechanism is drafted, the Taliban will be asked to join the reconciliation process. According to Afghan and Pakistani officials, those insurgent leaders who are ready to renounce violence will be welcomed while the rest will face “serious action”. However, Afghans are not much optimistic about the meeting. The reason is very clear. The war-hit nation is trapped deep in the pit of insecurity, though, the regional and global players have vowed many times to help Afghanistan in the war against extremism and insurgency. There is no end at sight to the ongoing violence. The Afghan government had also claimed that foolproof security strategies were chalked out to curtain militancy and improve the law and order situation.
Unfortunately, the current security picture is different from what is projected by the government. Take a look at the today’s (Monday) news to know the bigger picture. Two bombings happened close to Hamid Karzai International Airport in the capital city in less than 12 hours. At least 29 people were injured in the second suicide attack. Attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif continued till late. Six terrorists attacked the Indian mission from a nearby house in which seven people were injured. The deputy chief of Nuristan provincial council, Omer Farooq, said that scores of women in Gawhardesh area of Kamdesh district were being trained to carry out terrorist attacks. They are the widows of militants who are being trained for suicide bombings. The Taliban is not alone in the race, but Daesh is also training women. On Monday, police arrested a woman, her son and brother in Nangarhar province. They allegedly had links to Daesh. The Middle Eastern militant group had presence in Haska Mena, Kot, Achin, Speenghar, Dur Baba and Ghanikhel districts of Nangarhar. The group is also involved in land grabbing. Meanwhile, police have found the dead bodies of five Afghan soldiers in Ghazni province. They were abducted on Kabul-Kandahar Highway by the Taliban nearly a week ago.
What is the benefit of the government’s security policy to the nation if there is no decrease in violence? In every important metric the security strategies that the government had employed in the past one year have been abysmal failure: security situation has deteriorated and Daesh is flexing muscles. Either the government had no security policy or it is a failed one because the important security objectives were not attained. Due to failure of the government to improve security, powerful individuals have established private militia force.
Therefore, the government should device a conclusive national security strategy to deal with the growing insecurity. Afghan representative in the coming quadrilateral talks shall urge the other parties to push the Taliban to agree on unconditional ceasefire because bullets and peace talks cannot go together. If the militant group does not agree, Pakistan shall be asked to hand over their leaders hidden there or eliminate them because there is no other option to restore stability and peace in the region, particularly in Afghanistan.
