Growing Indian influence in Afghanistan alarms Pakistan
Growing Indian influence in Afghanistan alarms Pakistan : U.S. Ambassador Azmat Hassan is a former ambassador to Pakistan, Malaysia, Syria, Morocco and Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations. He is currently a Visiting Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences.
U.S. policymakers may come to regret the day when the administration of President George W. Bush decided to expand the scope of intervention in Afghanistan. Eight and a half years after the ouster of the Taliban and install an effective president, Hamid Karzai, the United States finds itself bogged down in Afghanistan.
Karzai’s government has failed to provide the war – citizens are fed up with a reasonable degree of peace or security. Suicide bombings, killings of foreigners and Afghans alike with disturbing frequency in the big cities, while attacks by militants from the Taliban flexibility is still claiming the lives of large numbers of U.S. and NATO forces.
Corruption, drugs and run rampant. To stay in power, Karzai consort with a number of warlords who are the masters of the trivial in their sectors. Karzai’s brother, and overlord in Kandahar, and has the reputation of being both the CIA, and the province’s largest drug dealer.
In Mkhmra that Afghanistan is today, and India and Pakistan both gain more influence. Poor Afghan people are caught in the middle of this zero-sum game.
India, and the seizure of Afghanistan and pains, has pumped in more than one billion dollars for Afghanistan to improve economic and social structures. In the face of it, should be considered in this gallant gesture would be worthy of praise.
But the ruling circles of Pakistan and its armed forces and are especially alarmed by India’s burgeoning influence in Afghanistan. India and economic generosity as well as the opening of consulates in the Afghan provinces near the Pakistani border, alarm bells in Islamabad.
Pakistan fears that surround both the Indian east coast and now increasingly its western border, would prevent the regional cooperation in calming the situation in Afghanistan.
General McChrystal has warned his superiors in Washington that Karzai’s pro-India orientation – in addition to India and Afghanistan in the forward position by alienating Pakistan, a key ally – would adversely affect the interests of the United States in Afghanistan.
It is not known whether McChrystal advice had been heeded by the Obama administration. However, a recent statement by General Petraeus suggests that he understands, and perhaps support Pakistan in seeking to obtain the strategic depth in Afghanistan and friendly.
While the war in Afghanistan in the ongoing US-Pakistan relations is currently facing a downward path. The United States is not satisfied that Pakistan is not doing everything they can against some of the factions of the Afghan Taliban based in Pakistan who are fighting U.S. and NATO forces.
Pakistanis are not satisfied with the United States of dragging its feet to meet its financial obligations to the Pakistani army, which contributed significantly to the “war on terror” against the Taliban.
This level of mistrust between the two allies is a matter of concern. There is an ongoing dialogue at the political and military is the only antidote to prevent further erosion of this alliance is crucial.
We hope, in his forthcoming visit to Washington, and will be veteran Pakistani army chief General Kayani and help clear the air. Both in the United States and Pakistan need each other to get on a hill in Afghanistan. Pakistan needs to help the United States to a significant increase in the indicators of economic and social development.
Without Pakistan’s support and cooperation, it is difficult to imagine that the United States achieve its goals in Afghanistan. This in turn may affect the exit strategy for U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
The United States needs to become more active in pushing India and Pakistan to resolve their differences – one major, from the perspective of Pakistan, being Kashmir.
India does not want to join Pakistan in a comprehensive dialogue to Pakistan restrictions terrorist attacks from its territory – such as murder in Mumbai – by non-governmental actors. India believed that some elements in the Pakistani government to encourage such attacks, instability in India. Improving relations between India and Pakistan could help to curb the competition in Afghanistan.
In fact, is that both India and Pakistan have been victims of violence and extremism. Both face multiple insurgencies within their borders. Rather than play the blame game, and should both be urged to work together to reduce this common danger.
The United States must pay more attention to remove the mutual distrust between the two nuclear neighbors. Being a neutral observer version anodyne statements are not good enough in the current scenario.
There is a coordinated regional approach between Pakistan and India and Karzai’s regime with the active encouragement of the United States can improve the situation in Afghanistan. And then in the United States could leave with a manifestation of the dignity and honor.
- S. Azmat Hassan
