Heart of Asia: Pakistan’s role in consensual Afghan peace process
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Afghanistan is currently at the center of major diplomatic initiatives involving all regional stakeholders in problem-solving dialogues. The primary focus of these talks is to reverse the collapse of security in Afghanistan. The same issue was central to the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) conference in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on March 30.
Fifteen countries participate in the Heart of Asia process, while another 17 countries and 12 regional and international organizations support it. Its ninth conference in Dushanbe saw representatives of around 50 countries and organizations. At the end they issued a statement acknowledging that “long-term stability and prosperity in the region require peace and security in Afghanistan, and therefore the region, as well as the international community, has a shared responsibility and common interest to work together for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region as a whole.”
The gathering took place ahead of a May 1 deadline to withdraw all foreign forces from Afghanistan, which was negotiated separately between the United States and the Taliban. President Joe Biden told reporters last week that it was “going to be hard” to meet the deadline.
Realizing the possible delay, the Taliban have threatened to increase their attacks against American and Afghan security forces. In such a grim context, the role of regional stakeholders in restoring peace in Afghanistan becomes conclusive.
The theme of the 2021 Heart of Asia was “Strengthening Consensus for Peace and Development.” Participants emphasized national reconciliation, economic reconstruction, and the creation of functional national institutions and agencies comprising all ethnic groups in Afghanistan. Regional players expressed their resolve for a cooperative action toward a peaceful and realistic settlement.
The gathering took place ahead of a May 1 deadline to withdraw all foreign forces from Afghanistan, which was negotiated separately between the United States and the Taliban. President Joe Biden told reporters last week that it was “going to be hard” to meet the deadline. Realizing the possible delay, the Taliban have threatened to increase their attacks against American and Afghan security forces. In such a grim context, the role of regional stakeholders in restoring peace in Afghanistan becomes conclusive.
Zafar Nawaz Jaspal
During the meeting, participants appreciated Pakistan’s vision of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said during the conference that Pakistan strictly observes non-interference in Afghanistan and supports confidence-building measures among all stakeholders. On the conference sidelines, Qureshi ensured Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that Pakistan would continue to support a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign, and prosperous Afghanistan.
From the beginning, HoA-IP has aimed to counter terrorism, drug trafficking poverty, and extremism in the region. The increasing presence of Daesh (Daesh) fighters in Afghanistan scares HoA-IP members, especially as several Central Asian and South Asian militant organizations have already expressed their allegiance to Daesh. Without political stability, Afghanistan will be unable keep terrorist organizations and drug traffickers at bay.
Stable and secure Afghanistan would mean stability and progress in its surrounding regions. It would also enable energy projects such as the $1.17 billion Central Asia-South Asia Regional Trade and Transmission Project (CASA-1000) and Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI), also known as Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline for the transport of natural gas from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and India. Besides, stable Afghanistan would improve regional connectivity. The Trans-Afghan railway project would connect Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The peace process in Afghanistan has reached a critical stage. It hinges on talks between the Taliban and Kabul to establish an inclusive interim government. Since September 2020, the discussions have been taking place in the Qatari capital Doha, but negotiators have failed to chalk out a power-sharing formula that seems prerequisite to Afghanistan’s political stability.
Ironically, neither President Ghani nor the Taliban seem prepared for power sharing. This deadlock is worrisome.
Time is running out as the US pullout deadline approaches, so regional stakeholders such as Pakistan have to find a solution to facilitate all Afghan groups, especially the Taliban and President Ghani’s camp, in forming an inclusive interim government. The solution, as highlighted by Pakistan, should be based on the principle of foreign non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.
– Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal is an Islamabad-based analyst and professor at the School of Politics and International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University.
E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @zafar_jaspal
