Pak-Afghan ties, hopes and scopes

Pakistan’s caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani has once again reiterated the country’s commitment to continue the ongoing engagement with Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister’s remarks came after a meeting with the governor of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban movement and an important Afghanistan’s province bordering Pakistan. Foreign Minister Gilani expressed Pakistan’s willingness to continue its engagement & mutually beneficial ties with Afghanistan and stressed the imperatives of addressing all issues to harness the full potential for trade & connectivity between two brotherly nations.

Pak-Afghan bilateral relations witnessed a record low after banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) resumed its offensive against Pakistani state institutions and innocent civilians through a barrage of terrorist activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan. According to a recent report released by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), more than 1,500 Pakistanis were killed in 789 terror attacks and counter-terrorism operations in 2023. Which is a significant spike in the terrorism incidents in the past almost eight years after the successful culmination of Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

The prevailing tension in the bilateral relations is seriously hurting both neighbours. Unfortunately, there has been a 60% increase in terrorism and a 500% increase in suicide attacks inside Pakistan since the Taliban came to power in 2021. The menace of terrorism and violence has perished over 2000 lives during this time, while the perpetrators of terrorism are enjoying safe havens, freedom of movement, boarding and lodging facilities across durand lines.

Historically, Pakistan and Afghanistan are two brotherly Muslim nations whose security, trade, economic development, prosperity and future is largely interdependent. Landlocked Afghanistan is more dependent on Pakistan for its external links, trade relations, and exports/ imports from the rest of the world, while Pakistan’s peace and prosperity is also linked with peace, and stability in Afghanistan. Pakistan had always played a role of a big brother and displayed utmost generosity and kindness in dealing with our Afghan brethren yet no nation can compromise its national security and territorial sovereignty at any cost.

The Afghan interim leaders must consider Pakistan’s compulsion and have correct purview of Pakistan security measures including tightening border security, regulation of foreign visitors/refugees and countering terrorism campaigns. Both brotherly nations can only move forward through cooperation and teamwork while confrontation and antagonism will hurt both interests in the long term.

Hopefully, the Afghan side will reciprocate Pakistan’s quest to normalize mutual relations that will not only benefit both countries and their people but the entire region will progress from such partnership and association.