Newly launched body vows to bring Pakistanis, Afghans closer

PESHAWAR: A newly established non-political organisation named “People to People – Pakistan and Afghanistan” has announced to make efforts to bring the people of the two neighbouring countries closer.

Speaking to The News here on Thursday, Engineer Ajab Noor Habibi, a former United Nations employee, said they had established this organization to block the way of those conspiring against both the nations.

The organisation, based in Kabul and having tribal elders, intellectuals and educated youth as members, has not yet elected its head and other office-bearers.“We want representation from all ethnic groups, including Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Hazara, etc” he said, adding: “We are holding negotiations with our brothers in the four provinces in Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.

We will hold elections after finalising the names of representatives on both sides of the border.”He observed that Pakhtun tribes are living along the Durand Line in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“The areas along the border are inhabited by Durrani, Achakzai, Noorzai, Mamondzai, Mahsud, Mashwani, Mohmand, Afridi, Safi, Shinwari, Wazir, Kakar, Ghalji, Gojar, Tori and other tribes who are connected with one another through the same culture, customs, religion and marriages. Any disconnection between these tribes would cause economic losses to them,” he argued.

Habibi said the recent political decisions made by Afghanistan and Pakistan such as blockade of roads caused problems including loss of trade and wastage of agricultural produce and fruits.

“It will be better for Kabul and Islamabad to give full autonomy to these tribes to establish good trading and serve as a bridge between the two countries,” Habibi said.“The countries located thousands of kilometres away from Afghanistan should not play a negative role between these tribes. Provoking them against each other will not serve their purpose as the people having political consciousness would emerge stronger in future,” he said. 

Habibi suggested it’s better for the people living on both sides of the border to keep calm, respect each other and avoid insulting one another.“Our organisation will stand against all those who hatch conspiracies and fuel hatred,” he said, asking the media to play positive role instead of airing baseless propaganda at the behest of anti-Pakhtun forces.

“We try to convince our critics in Kabul that Pakistan has not only hosted Pakhtuns for three decades but also provided shelter to other Afghans. We should not play a negative role at the
behest of our enemies,” he said while referring to the recent decision of Pakistan to repatriate Afghan refugees.

In a cautious response, Habibi said that 98 percent Afghans have realised that peace in Afghanistan could be restored within minutes if the US wished to do so.The anti-Afghan and anti-Pakistan forces were using the social media to defame and cause hatred among both the nations, he pointed out.

“Such people are neither living in Afghanistan nor in Pakistan but spread
rumours on social media against Pakhtuns, Pakistan and Afghanistan to fulfil their nefarious designs,” he added.“Our organisation is educating the youth and others on both sides of the border to put an end to the baseless propaganda and work to bring both nations closer,” he stressed.