Daily Times

Afghanistan, our neighbouring country is still in a need of a financial boost as it lies at the edge of collapse at economic and humanitarian levels. After the withdrawal of the US last August, Afghanistan is facing a declining phase. Pakistan, as a border-sharing country, is interlocked geo-strategically, geopolitically, culturally, linguistically, historically, traditionally, religiously, and location-wise with Afghanistan. Due to this reason, Pakistan has shown its concern from time to time, which was seen in arranging negotiations and paving the way towards negotiations between the European Union, the US representatives, and the international community by organising two conferences of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation at Islamabad in 2021 and 2022.

We are looking forward to a fruitful and beneficial response from the US in the coming days as the international community has already raised the alarming humanitarian and economic situation of Afghanistan. Other than the mentioned issues, terrorism is also affecting, distracting, and proving hindrances in the way of the Afghan government. In this regard, almost 100 attacks by the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K, ISK, or ISKP) have been counted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Pakistan and Afghanistan by 2018. The group’s affiliate has been operating in Afghanistan since 2014 and seems that the greatest challenge to the Afghan government in controlling the terrorist attacks.

It is believed that around 2000 fighters located in western and northern Afghanistan were involved in terrorist attacks. ISIS-K was established nearer to eight years ago. Its founding members involved militants who had left the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan Taliban. The rivalry between these two groups is based on ideological differences and competition for resources. Thus, Afghanistan has been affected by the civil war since its emergence. Those who entered it, like the USSR (for 10 years) and the US (for 20 years), had to leave after no result in changing their ideology. The conclusion comes at the end that Afghanistan belongs to Afghans and should be run by them. The ISIS-K group had to decentralise after significant territorial losses but took the responsibility of string high-profile attacks, airport attacks, bombing at girls’ Kabul school, etc.

Afghanistan belongs to Afghans and should be run by them.

Recently, an explosion occurred at a mosque in northern Kunduz on Friday which has killed one and wounded seven per a released statement by the Afghan government. So far, no group has taken the responsibility, but it is being associated with ISIS-K. In May, a similar attack at a mosque left five people dead and several wounded, while in April, another mosque was targeted during Friday prayers, resulting in the loss of 10 people and 30 were wounded. The group has come up as a competitor to both Al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Apart from terrorism, the Afghan government is also being criticised for the non-fulfilment of women’s rights. Regarding the human rights clause regarding women, after 10 months of the Taliban’s takeover, they are still not interested in fulfilling their promises. The situation of a woman is seen getting worse, as the Taliban place restrictions. Women are barred from returning to government jobs. Girls’ secondary schools have been shut down. The Taliban have even threatened the suspension of government male employees if they don’t implement the dress code for their women. The dress code is a burqa with a head-to-toe covering. The United Nations has raised the issue again and named it “institutionalised systematic oppression” of females in Afghanistan. Even isolation, less funding provision, and sanctions–raising the humanitarian crisis i.e. malnutrition–and poverty have all made the Taliban stricter.

The international community is required to resolve the deteriorating situation of Afghanistan as internal issues should be left to Afghans as even after USSR and US interventions, they also weren’t able to change their ideology. There is a need to save precious lives. Pakistan is always concerned as if the same situation will continue, the country would be unable to accommodate a large number of immigrants as in Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s era. The US government evacuated around 124,000 Afghans from Kabul who worked for the US government, and still, 60,000 are eligible for Special Immigration Visa program to the US. Other than this, the expected immigrants will surely take a move towards neighbouring Pakistan, which is also facing an economic crisis and would not be able to accommodate and afford such a number. Thus, there is an urgent need for an amicable solution for Afghanistan.

The current government of Shahbaz Sharif is facing significant economic challenges in Pakistan. They are looking for upcoming elections. Therefore, it seems that they are already in crisis and cannot afford to intervene in Afghanistan’s issue at the moment. On the other hand, the no-confidence vote against Imran Khan’s government has already been related to a conspiracy led by the US. It is a complicated situation on the political and diplomatic grounds for Pakistan. The citizens can well-relate to the situation by observing their surroundings, but there is a need for urgent interference from the international community to come together and become a strong voice for Afghanistan.

The writer is a columnist, researcher, and Adjunct Asst. Prof (Riphah International University, Islamabad). She can be reached at saira.asad2011@gmail.com