Muhammad Rehan Rasheed
The United Nations observes international days during the month of June, which
are mostly dedicated to human security – such as Innocent Children Victims of
Aggression Day, Child Labor Day, Sustainable Gastronomy Day, Drug Abuse Day,
Illicit Trafficking Day, Sexual Violence in Conflict Areas and World Refugees
Day. Ironically no other country but Afghanistan alone bears the UN days’
application in full as all the above menaces are seen in abundant there.
It is the classic example of declined human security wherethe State hasfailed to
address micro level insecurities being faced by Afghan population. The
development work has been badly affected by ineffective governance amidst TTA
and IS terror challenge. Even massive foreign aid has failed to help. Acute
scarcity of technical and skilled human resource has doubled the dilemma that
demands the urgency of bringing back and repatriate refugees and experts or
technicians from other countries.
Kabul’s role is seemingly guided by self-interests rather than humanitarian
concerns.Itneeds to own responsibility as theinternational community must join
hands to create peace as well as economic opportunities in Afghanistan. Pakistan
being in the immediate neighbour is bearing itsspillover, besides the so far
largest and longest refugee burdenfor the last four decades. Not only has it
been badly affected by the menaces like terrorism and extremism,it has also seen
organized crime, child labour, drug and human trafficking, which has put in
jeopardy Pakistan’s economy, security and social fabric. India, the arch enemy,
is taking full advantage of such a precarious situation.
It’s not easy to sustain development activity in the land locked country;
existing conditions are likely to remain the same in near future.Kabul
government and the international community should work together to bring peace
and prosperity for its people. This is only possible if an acceptable-to-all
political setup is evolved. Nonexistent structure and absent legitimacy are the
problems that need to be addressed first.Stability of political system is
directly proportional to the stability of military and economic structure.
Security is prerequisite to longstanding economic growth. Without confidence
that resources invested today will still be owned and available tomorrow,
investment will wither, growth decline, assets depreciate, and economy will
collapse. In this sense security and economy are interdependent factors and it
implies from this concept that security is necessary and a complementary
investment.
Present geostrategic and socioeconomic environment of Afghanistan does not pose
any threat or aggression from outside.Therefore,the Afghan government needs to
focus on internal stability, law and order situation. For this purpose, Kabul
requires strong and capable law enforcement forces to bring peace and
tranquility in the country. The most pressing task is an effective action
against rebellions and dissident factions, disarming the common citizen and firm
operations against drug dealers and illicit traffickers.Afghanistan doesn’t have
manufacturing capability. It has to rely on foreign suppliers for spares and
ammunition. Training is also controlled by their benefactors and also need
special training and equipment to control narcotics. Therefore, Afghan forces
will have to depend on foreign assistance for a long time to come.
According to a latest report by Special Inspector General for Afghanistan
Reconstruction (SIGAR)America has spent more than $78 billion for Afghanistan’s
security since 2002. Similarly, members of Afghan Army are involved in
corruption cases and the same report reveals that multi billion dollars have
been spent to counter narcotics initiatives but still there is63 percent
increase in the land under poppy cultivation during the 2017 growing season from
the previous year whilethe raw opium production increased by an alarming 88
percent. This shows ineffective utilization of the US taxpayers’ money, which
does not allow to afford a large standing incapable Army; it calls for a
different system to fulfill the internal security requirements wherein the
economic factor is duly catered.
Announcing the new Afghan policy, President Donald Trump declared,“We are not
nation building again.”Failure of US ambitions in Afghanistan is quite evident
from this statement. Nevertheless, this is time to help Afghanistan that has
been destroyed in the New Great Gamewhere the powers at be are trying to fulfill
their self-interests by exploiting Afghanistan. The most critical are US, India
and Iran factors; their involvement is destabilizing Afghanistan by directly
affecting its relationship with Pakistan. Obama had curtailed the role of US
military in Afghanistan while Trump is doing the opposite;he likes to bolster
military efforts. The rise and fall of US troops’ level is a clear manifestation
of America’s failed policy that brought nothing but miseries to the Afghan
people.
The number of US fatalitiesin Afghanistan aloneisover2,000, other than the
causalities to US troops and coalition forces. Still the security forces are
struggling against the increasing influence of Taliban, which is a clear
indication of the fast deteriorating security situation there. If an army with
the most sophisticated weaponrycan’t bring peace and stability, then how is it
possible to bring peace with the help of a ragtag Afghan Army? Isn’t it alarming
for the world at large?Here lies Pakistan’s major concern: Afghanistan needs
ownership from US in all aspects. It is the prime responsibility of the US and
international community to remain committed to security and reconstruction
process until a stable government is established in Afghanistan, besides
providing requisite funds for the development of country’s economy and
rehabilitation of Afghan people.
Afghanistan is a pearl in pursuit of which different powers are involved but it
can only be accessed through Pakistan which is the most important player in the
region. A stable Afghanistan is in the greater interest of Pakistan; it can pave
the way for return of refugees. Peace and stability in Afghanistan are
prerequisite to stability and development in Pakistan. Afghanistan is a regional
issue, directly affecting the stability and prosperity of the peoples. Leaving
aside politics of competition, there is a need to adopt the policy of “peaceful
coexistence”. In the wake of current global developments, it is in the interest
of Afghanistan and Pakistan to develop more integrated political and economic
relations that lead to greater common security, peace, stability and development
after due consideration of regional perceptions of each country.
Road to stability and economic recovery is long and requires great deal of
careful planning. Proper planning requires feasibility studies for precise
decision making. Planners may also consider regional economic integration and
formation of a free trade association with neighboring countries. Pakistan and
Afghanistan share a long border with numerous routes and passes that can be
utilized for regional trade. Close and harmonious relations must be the
cornerstone of foreign policy. The world is fast turning into regional
bloc’slegalized form of protectionism. Thus, the developing countries should
restructure their relationships to meet challenges of the new world.A stable,
peaceful, developed, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan is in the interest of
all the regional countries.
(The author is student of IR)