In a big achievement towards peace in war-torn Afghanistan, a Loya Jirga or grand assembly of community heads ended on a positive note against violence in Kabul on Thursday.
Over 3,000 religious and tribal leaders, politicians and representatives from across the country gathered under tight security to work out a way out of the crisis Afghanistan has long dug itself in. It seemed that everyone wants peace but the Afghan Taliban, who skipped the event.
US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will meet them in Doha this week. Ahead of the meeting, Khalilzad also met Indonesian Foreign Minister Marsudi, whom he “(V)ery much appreciate … for … compelling offer of assistance”. In a related tweet, he felt “… also encouraged by the role Pakistan wants to play in building a regional consensus”.
It shows that the US is bringing in new players like Indonesia in Afghanistan and is cautious about old players like Pakistan. It implies that the US does not want any role for Pakistan but it is Pakistan that ‘wants’ a role. Pakistan has, however, been instrumental in bringing the Taliban to the table.
The Afghan Taliban are not ready to talk to the government of President Ashraf Ghani which they call a US puppet. They want to directly engage the US for the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, it is Afghan people who are paying the price for these hard and complex talks. “Every day, Afghans are being killed without any reason. An unconditional ceasefire must be announced,” said Mohammad Qureshi, head of one of the jirga´s many committees.
If the Taliban succeed in striking a deal directly with the US, they will unleash on Afghan society what they already had with no regard to who the Afghan people elect to rule. Rights of women and minorities will be breached and inhuman treatment will be meted out to the masses in full public view if the country or some parts of it fall to the Taliban.
The US is in a hurry to pull back its troops from Afghanistan as per the vision of President Donald Trump but it will not leave the can open in the way of future government of Afghanistan.
President Ashraf Ghani´s term expires this month. The opposition has demanded the formation of an interim government. Khalilzad’s entertaining Taliban separately in Doha amounts to discrediting Loya Jirga. This should not have been the case. The world should respect this gathering more than the Doha summit. *