Daily Times

Recent border clash between Pakistani paramilitary forces and the Afghan government forces could be a new phase in the conflict that is going on for the last four decades.

Securing its border with Afghanistan is Pakistan’s right. Afghanistan can’t stop Pakistan from building gates or blocking illegal crossings into Pakistan. As a sovereign country Pakistan has to control its borders. It can refuse entry into Pakistan to anyone anytime. Therefore an attack on the Pakistani forces who were installing a border gate was a deliberate act of provocation by the Afghan border forces. It would further exacerbate the already tense relations between the two countries.

Afghanistan is justified when it demands that Pakistan must not allow militants using the Pakistani soil for destabilizing Afghanistan. Pakistan has to do everything to stop militants crossing into Afghanistan. Proper border management is one way to do that. On the other hand, Afghanistan should ensure that its soil will not be used by militants responsible for attacks in Pakistan.

It is time that the both side adopt a pragmatic and realistic approach in their bilateral relations. It is true that Pakistan and Afghanistan has a special relationship that is rooted in common history, culture and blood bonds. However, it is also fact the two are separate and independent countries therefore they must act as responsible states and neighbors.

Those in Pakistan who consider Afghanistan a province of Pakistan or to them Afghanistan is Pakistan’s backyard, such people are absolutely wrong. Their approach towards Afghanistan and their Afghan strategies have harmed Pakistan more.

Similarly, Afghans who don’t accept Pakistan or the border between Pakistan should understand that a lot of water has flown under bridges. We live in a different world and with different realities. Pakhtuns of Afghanistan and Pakhtuns in Pakistan are the same people in terms of their ethnicity but they live in different states. It is like Uzbeks of Afghanistan and the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan have same ethnicity, or Tajiks in Tajikistan and Afghanistan are the same people but they all live in different states and therefore have different responsibilities and obligations. All Arabs have same ethnicity but they live in different states.

Pakistan and Afghanistan need very good bilateral relations based on mutual trust and respect. With mutual consent they can sign agreements easing business, trade, travel, immigration between the two countries. We have example of the EU states. However, at the moment, due to political and strategic blunders of the past four decades both the countries feel betrayed. Trust has been the biggest causality in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and has led to hostility between the two countries.

Pakistan can’t afford a military conflict with any of its neighbors. Pakistan can protect its interests in Afghanistan without military means or proxy wars but this will require new thinking, a new vision.

Western powers invaded Afghanistan not for the wellbeing of the Afghan people or development of Afghanistan. The occupation of Afghanistan is part of the ongoing war to control Eurasian energy sources and transportation routes. Western powers are using Afghanistan as a strategic base to contain Russia and China and slowdown processes of growing economic and political integration in the region, particularly cooperation between Russia, China and Central Asian states.

Even so China and Russia would not engage in direct military conflicts with the United States over Afghanistan. Russia and China have stronger armies and both possess more nuclear weapons than Pakistan but Chinese and Russian leaders and media don’t create war hysteria and make claims of bringing America down.

Since the end of the Cold War small-scale wars are a major source of profit for Western corporations. They apply new and innovative means and technologies to wedge and win wars. Big businesses select war zones, create conditions and then lobby politicians and the media to support military adventures.

Western powers act as a pack of wolves and attack a selected target. Under this strategy target states are isolated and weakened by multifaceted and concentrated psychological warfare campaigns. International organizations, rights groups, charities and the media are used in such campaigns. This is happening in case of Pakistan and Afghanistan, too.

Pakistan is a U.S. ally but anti-American sentiments are really strong in the country therefore neutralizing and weakening Pakistan could be one of the U.S. goals. Pakistan is already struggling against a domestic insurgency that appears to have foreign sponsors. At a time when Pakistan is in the grip of internal conflicts and crisis, a new military conflict will further damage the country’s ability to resist foreign pressure and dictation. Also it will be a serious blow to Pakistan’s economy and infrastructure.

Most Western media outlets caricature Pakistan as a society of paranoid, intolerant and deceitful people; of course it is an inaccurate description created with a purpose, however, Pakistan has not been able to dispel such impression about its national identity and character.

Foreign policy and international relations require calm, cold and objective analysis and well-thought through strategies. Even in the so-called open and democratic Western societies, foreign policy is considered an elite issue and major decisions are taken after thorough discussions often behind closed doors and policies are filtered at different levels.

In Pakistan, however, foreign policy is driven by shallow emotions and illogical assumptions. The Pakistani media and politician are unscrupulous and play with the public emotions using provocative rhetoric. Some in the military have been engaged in dangerous and deadly adventures. Generals like to take pride in their mastery in deception and ability to apply low-tech and low-cost guerrilla war tactics in Afghanistan and elsewhere to outmaneuver powerful enemies. They imply as if Pakistan can defeat any power in the world. Time has proved their strategy was wrong.

Pakistan has to become a normal state by rejecting notion that it is an ‘ideological fortress of Islam’ that will eventually rule the world. Such mindset and perception provides fuel to accusations that Pakistan is not a responsible nuclear state.

Pakistan and Afghanistan can be strategic partners of Russia, China, Iran and Central Asian states. In doing so Pakistan does not have to be an enemy of the United States. Both Russia and China do not support all U.S. policies and strategic goals and often oppose American hegemonic designs but at the same time the both countries are trade partners of the United States.

Also those people in Pakistan are absolutely wrong who oppose the idea that Pakistan provides a trade corridor to India for energy imports from Central Asia. The trade corridor between South and Central Asia will offer immense opportunities for the people in the region. It may also bring peace and stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The argument that the Indian-based U.S multinational companies will benefit from the trade corridor between India and Central Asia is simply rubbish. On the contrary, the U.S and Europeans are opposed to the trade and energy corridor between South and Central Asia because if that happened, a significant volume of Russian and Central Asian energy will be diverted to Pakistan, India and beyond. Such a shift could deprive the West from vital energy sources.

This fear was one of the factors behind the NATO’s war effort in Afghanistan. A prolong war and instability in Afghanistan and Pakistan can block the eastward flow of Eurasian energy and for the time being this suits some NATO member countries.

Russia and Central Asia are also rivals to Saudi Arabian led oil producers. It is natural for Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries to impede Russian and Central Asian oil exports by sponsoring war and militancy in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Former President Asif Zardari had offended the House of Saud and the White House both in his efforts to warm diplomatic relations with China, Russia, Central Asian states and Iran. Pakistan needs a new vision, dedication and consistency to change the focus of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Despite provocations Pakistan has to avoid military conflict with the US or Afghanistan because it will block or delay the opening of new trade routes and economic opportunities. Relations between India and Pakistan may also improve once trade between India and Central Asia starts via Pakistan as the both countries will benefit from the new economic opportunities. A war between Pakistan and U.S or Pakistan and Afghanistan is not in the interest of any country in the region because it will further diminish chances economic integration and prosperity.

Shiraz Paracha is an analyst and journalism professor. His email address is: shiraz_paracha@hotmail.com