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If you analyze the Afghan situation with a Pakistani mindset, then you are misled and in denial. The analysis that I have been observing nowadays has two main drawbacks. First, that the ‘Afghan Civil War’ is the product of a madrassah-brand militant organization. This misconception is shattered as every Afghan wears a turban and has a beard. They are presumed to be from the excluded Haqqani group. Let it be clear that the no madrassah is involved in the Afghan civil war – it is the result of the university brand.
After the Soviet withdrawal, not a single commander, including mullah, was involved in the civil war. The Haqqani group tried to reconcile with Kabul but failed. As a result, the madrassah brand emerged in the form of the Taliban to end the civil war. When the movement was formed, the Pashtun belt arose in support of the mullah, handed over their weapons and accepted them at the ballot. Armed resistance only started against the Taliban when the ‘leader’ in the university was being heard. It was assumed that since the status of the mullah is none in Punjab and Sindh, the same would happen in Afghanistan. The situation is quite opposite and the mullah continues to be a revered figure and symbol of moral authority.
The second fallacy is that Afghan Pashtuns are considered ‘nationalists’. These are only a minority in the Pashtun belt. The question arises whether without them, the United States would have succeeded against the Taliban. Could Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani rule the Pashtuns even a single day? No. Because the Afghan Pashtuns are not nationalists and do not fight against religious leaders. This is why Pakistan’s Pashtun nationalists, from Asfandyar Wali to Mahmud Achakzai, have vehemently opposed the Taliban and will see nothing but humiliation.
The biggest mistake of the Taliban during their reign was Kandaharism – giving priority to the Kandahari in every department and province. Even when they sent their ambassador to Islamabad, who was a non-Kandahari, they send a Kandahari subordinate with him. The reason for this discrimination was that since they hailed from Kandahar, they preferred those from the area. This proved to be their biggest mistake. So the Pakistani-minded analysts should realize that Afghanistan is a full-fledged tribal society and we should leave the analysis to them.
Our analysts also seem unable to comprehend Pakistan’s decision on Afghan policy. On June 2, US President Biden was addressing a press conference after announcing a ‘Jobs Plan,’ but the first question he was asked was about Afghanistan. Biden was perplexed but he gave a firm answer. The second question was also about Afghanistan, ‘If Kabul needs air support, will the US provide them?’ Biden replied, ‘If they need air support, we’ve built them an air force’. When the third journalist also uttered Afghanistan, Biden angrily replied, ‘I will not ask any more questions about Afghanistan. We have created 850,000 new jobs. Now I am withdrawing the army from there. And we are also evacuating Bagram airbase.’
The US withdrawal is being grieved by two groups – the Kabul administration and the liberals. Where will the jets take off for which the air support was being asked? Pakistan has refused to hand over bases to the United States. Despite these denials, I saw a ‘platoon commander’ of these liberals commenting on social media that we are indebted to the United States and this will go in our favour. Why are the consequences of these bases? Perhaps you should ask the Japanese maidens who were raped for sixty years but could not take action. Thousands of German women committed suicide after World War II because they didn’t want to give birth to an American child. They only got solace when Europe became a single bloc but the injustices continued with the Japanese women for over six decades.
Pakistan handed over bases to the United States during Musharraf’s era. We didn’t report any cases as they were away from cities in secluded areas. We have different problems now. A base does not only have walls and buildings but also requires intelligence to ensure security. This network will be used by the CIA for its offensive purposes which they are trying for forty years.
Is there any doubt that our missile and nuclear programme is their main target? There have been intelligence reports that the real target of US Special Forces is our nuclear assets.
It is sheer hypocrisy to state that when the US demanded bases, the liberals claimed Imran Khan would hand them over right away, but when he flatly refused, they said that the establishment was in favour and Imran’s interview has no value. When the establishment briefed parliament on the issue, they wanted a united stance over refusing US bases. Now there is denial that the US never asked for a base, rather a corridor. The cat is scratching its own back. The US has ground and air support since two decades and the supply line passes from here. You always asked for things which you don’t have.
