ISLAMABAD: The partial withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan has meagerchances of triggering a chaos in the war-torn country and thus will have nosignificant impact on Pakistan, analysts with background in defence andstrategic studies said on Friday.
“Pakistan could only get affected had it be a full withdrawal of troopsthat could ultimately lead to vacuum and civil war in Afghanistan,” Brig(Retd) Mahmood Shah told APP when asked about the possible fallout of thedecision of Trump administration, on Pakistan.
The Trump administration is withdrawing from Afghanistan roughly 7,000troops — around half of American military personnel currently stationedthere — in the coming months.
Brig Shah said Pakistan had always favoured partial withdrawal of foreigntroops from Afghanistan in view of giving the Afghan government enoughmargin to get gradual control of the situation.
He said the decision would not disrupt the direct trade with Afghanistandue to its dependence on Pakistan for the import of wheat, rice andfertilizer.
Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Shahzad Chaudhry termed the US decision of partialpullout a ‘much planned move’ and a formal assurance to Taliban for itsseriousness in Afghanistan’s peace.
He dismissed the impression that it was President Trump’s impulsiveannouncement to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan at the same time.
Regarding the recent meeting of US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad withPakistani leadership, Shahzad Chaudhry agreed to the notion that Pakistanwas taken onboard prior to the US’ decision.
He said a national government formed with consensus of the Afghangovernment and Taliban would help resume peace in the country.
Centre for Research and Strategic Studies Executive Director Imtiaz Gulsaid Trump had called the shot with his calculated move and fulfilling thepromise he made for the Afghanistan’s peace.
“Partial pullout is a face-saving for the US, however could increasepressure on the Afghan government to be amenable to Taliban and theirdemands,” he said.
On resignation of US Defence Secretary General James Mattis following theannouncement on troops, Imtiaz Gul said it symbolized the longstandingdifferences between President Trump and the US security establishment.