The problem with Ashraf Ghani

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has become a major obstacle in the historic peace agreement signed between the Taliban and the US. He has now called on the Taliban to break ties with Pakistan for the prisoner swap to go ahead.

The Afghan government and Taliban are supposed to start a dialogue and reached a political settlement. Under the agreement, both sides were expected to release prisoners but just days later; Ashraf Ghani refused to abide by the clause as a precondition for the negotiations. The differing documents signed in Doha and Kabul seemed to have brought confusion over the deal.

Ghani realises that Pakistan has considerable away over the Afghan Taliban and is in a strategic position after the deal. He has expressed reservations over the agreement and has demanded the Taliban break ties with Pakistan. With such statements, President Ghani’s worst fear and rhetoric against Pakistan has been exposed. The Taliban have emerged a political force and will clash with the Afghan government, while Ghani does not want to relinquish power anytime soon.

Violence has unfortunately returned to the country as the Taliban have resumed deadly attacks. The US launched against an airstrike against the Taliban in Helmand and things are now spiraling out of control casting the peace deal into doubt. Zalmay Khalilzad, the man who thought his main job was done, is back in Kabul to convince the Afghan government that negotiation is the only solution.

Pakistan has rubbished claims of interfering in Afghanistan and urged Ashraf Ghani to show flexibility over the prisoner swap in the larger interest of regional peace. Foreign Minister Qureshi pointed out that Pakistan could only act to a certain extent and now it was Afghanistan’s turn to move forward, saying that the opportunity for peace should not be missed.

The US seemed unconcerned by Ghani’s concerns as it seeks to end the war. Donald Trump had an unusual telephonic conversation with the chief Taliban negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. The Afghan government was shunted from the peace process and is also being sidelined. A meeting between Trump and Taliban is also expected soon.

India is also irked by the peace deal and is the main spoiler which Pakistan has been warning about. India had no role in the peace process either and would seek to retain control over the Afghan government. The return of the Taliban would be a nightmare as it lacks the resources and to clash with the insurgent group. Ashraf Ghani has been a thorn in the peace deal without realising the consequences for his own country.