SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Pakistan has always said that peaceful Afghanistan is its top priority.Afghanistan provides Pakistan the most convenient land bridge with the Central Asian Republics, which in turn desperately need access to the sea through Afghanistan and Pakistan, a peaceful Afghanistan has always remained a priority for Pakistan. Peace is essential for the economic integration of the region and for the development of the two countries, and therefore Pakistan has been making substantial efforts to support and facilitate even the US, UK and EU initiated peace initiatives in Afghanistan. Western countries have been counting on Pakistan to use its natural influence to provide them some face saving, especially in crucial negotiations with the Taliban. However, in view of the failure of the global powers and manoeuvrings of regional players, including India, there still remain misgivings, regarding the beaten up fallacy of strategic depth, which is conveniently interpreted as Pakistan’s desire to have a puppet regime in Kabul. This overplayed impression has time and again been disabused at the highest civil and military leadership level through pronouncements and practical steps, like Operation Zarb-e-Azb fostered with the National Action Plan, underlining that Pakistan’s top priority has been and will be a peaceful, stable and internally cohesive Afghanistan. Dr Ashraf Ghani’s meaningful contacts with the Pakistani leadership are proof of his trust in Pakistan’s constructive role in defeating terrorism to enable both countries to progress despite the criticism of frustrated challengers.Pakistan has been supporting the global powers for the Afghan reconciliation process in the past too. Pakistan’s key role in the Bonn Conference, apex level Chequers meeting in the UK and a similar top-level conference in France in addition to the Qatar meetings of the US with all other Afghan stakeholders are a few examples that are acknowledged. With the departure of Hamid Karzai, who has his own agenda in wake of election, Pakistan and Afghanistan has a chance to bridge the trust deficit.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
