KABUL – In a recent interview, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani said, “Afghanarmy cannot survive six months without the help of United States ofAmerica.”
The statement shows the disastrous situation of Afghanistan. It alsobolsters Pakistan’s stance about Afghan army’s inability in thwartingcross-border attacks from its soil.
Pakistan has started fencing its side of the border and has deployed 2 lacsoldiers on its Western frontier along with Afghanistan.
Pakistan Army has eliminated all sanctuaries and strongholds of terroristsin Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
The border on the Afghan side is porous.There is no border patrolling andsurveillance mechanisms.
Pakistan Army is singlehandedly fighting terrorism in the region.Meanwhile, Afghan Army’s inability has created a vacuum for terroristgroups like Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) to emerge.
According to reports, ISIL after its defeat in Iraq and Syria are nowturning their focus towards Afghanistan. ISIL has claimed most of therecent devastating attacks in Afghanistan.
Amid the changing regional scenario, every regional state is following itsown interests. Russia does not want the presence of Islamic jihadists inits periphery.
Moscow paid a huge price for its war against Chechen and Arab jihadists inpost-Cold War era. It is still facing low-level Islamic insurgency inCaucasian region.
Russia is closely watching developments in Afghanistan primarily regardingthe increasing influence of ISIL.
Moscow believes that fragile law and order situation in Afghanistan is athreat to its territorial integrity and does not affect the United States,as Washington has no geographic affiliation with Afghanistan.
On the other hand, China too like Russia is concerned about the rise ofISIL. In addition to that Beijing believes that fragile situation inAfghanistan will provide safe haven to its Uighur militants which are aserious threat to its sovereignty.
Moreover, Chinese strongman Xi Jinping’s signature One Belt One Road(OBOR), which will connect Western China to the Middle East, Europe, andNorth Africa through a network of land routes, is facing threat in the formof the American presence in Afghanistan.
Beijing believes that America is following the Cold War era policy ofcontainment against it. Afghanistan’s location in China’s proximity makesit the vital part of Beijing’s foreign policy.
Iran being the stronghold of Shiite sect of Islam wants its proxies inAfghanistan to expand and increase their influence. Tehran’s objectives areto minimize the American and Sunni groups influence in Afghanistan.
According to some reports, Iran is also supporting extremist groups insidePakistan.
Pakistan desires peace in Afghanistan more than any other nation in theregion due to the shared long border. The deteriorating law and ordersituation in Afghanistan badly affects Pakistan.
Islamabad should project its sacrifices in the war on terror in a moreproactive manner in the international arena.
Article 51 of United Nations charter states that “Nothing in the presentCharter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collectiveself-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the UnitedNations until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintaininternational peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exerciseof this right of self-defense shall be immediately reported to the SecurityCouncil and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility ofthe Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time suchaction as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore internationalpeace and security”.
According to Article 51 of the United Nations charter, a member state canintervene in another state for self-defense. If attacks on Pakistanisoldiers and civilians continued from the Afghan soil than Pakistan has theright to intervene in Afghanistan and eradicate all anti-Pakistan elements.
If the influence of ISIL keeps on increasing and Afghan forces failed incountering the group than Pakistan has the right to launch surgical strikesinside Afghanistan and eradicate safe heavens of ISIL.
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has failed miserably inAfghanistan. It is time for regional countries like Pakistan, Iran, Chinaand Russia to turn their focus towards Afghan conundrum and find commonsolution.
Writer : Saad ur Rehman