Many say Pakistan poked its
nose in the Afghan War without any reason, only in line with its loyalty to the
United States of America. The USSR had a grand plan to reach warm waters, which
its Cold War rival, USA, wanted to thwart out. Before Pakistan going to be
sandwiched, the Reds could have meted out similar treatment with Pakistan which
they were doing with Afghanistan. It was not only the war for the USA, but the
question of Pakistan’s survival too. However, while laying down the contours of
this war, Pakistani strategists might have made serious mistakes. But many of
the steps were taken under unavoidable circumstances and in sheer love for the
Afghan brethren who were forced to take refuge in Pakistan. They were no less
than five million in total.
Since then – the Cold War, the Afghan War, the Taliban or the post-Taliban eras
– Pakistan has been playing pivotal role, directly or indirectly, towards
resolving the Afghan imbroglio. Pakistan hosted the five million, and is
continuously hosting over three million Afghan refugees, who after three to four
decades, have almost now been integrated into Pakistani societies as well as all
kind of business activity. Islamabad brokered and conducted a number of peace
summits inside and outside the country. It is a clear sign of commitment and
sincerity that Pakistan exhibited during the last four or five decades. In
return Pakistan has sustained serious implications, both regionally and
globally. It is now facing discouraging blame game on part of the Kabul
government.
The fact remains that Pakistan’s generous accommodation of more than three
million Afghan refugees for the longest duration is the example of Pakistan’s
contribution towards bringing peace in the region. Obviously this has had
consequences: Pakistan has gone financially weak and culturally fragmented. It
is continuously facing the simmering security situations. Pakistan army’s around
200,000 troops have been engaged in guarding the western borders, undertaking
military operations and maintaining law, order situations within various parts
of the country. The country has suffered huge losses in terms of men and
material, infrastructure and property. As a policy Pakistan desires a peaceful,
prosperous and progressing Afghanistan, and considers it as essential to
economic and overall development of Pakistan. This desire for peace in
Afghanistan has continuously been demonstrated successive governments, military
leaderships as well as the people of Pakistan at all levels. Hence it is absurd
to propagate that Pakistan in not interested in peace returning to Afghanistan.
Vested interests and intriguing propaganda may tell a different story but the
statistics do not tell a lie.