Seminar on Afghan peace talks: ‘Pakistan key to resolving Afghan issue’

LAHORE: Punjab University's Pakistan Study Centre organised a seminar on "The Afghan Peace Talks: The Latest Situation An Analysis of the Past and Look into the Future."

Prof Dr Adnan Sarwar Khan, head of department of International Relations & Peace & Conflict Studies, NUML, Islamabad was the keynote speaker. Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Chawla, Director, Pakistan Study Centre, Dean, Faculty of Arts & Humanities, Chairman, PU Department of History & Pakistan Studies concluded the session with the views that Afghanistan has been battle-ground for the last many decades.

Prof Iqbal said the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan were at the receiving end and now time has arrived where Afghanistan had learnt a lesson. He said after forty years of utter destruction should have opened eyes for those who have caused the trauma for the region as well as for the world. He said the emerging power of China, Russia and Germany was going to bring multi-polarism in the world which is going to bring balance of power at the global level.

He appreciated the categorical stance of the present government for not being used as "hired guns". He also welcomed that the US has recognised the role of Pakistan in Afghanistan and has stopped its old mantra of ‘do more’. India's sabotaging presence in Afghanistan is still a threat to durable peace in the region. US must learn lesson from the history that Afghanistan has never remain in long occupation, he added.

Dr Adnan said the US led forces used their best sources to subdue Taliban being terrorists but they had failed and Taliban have emerged as the most vital power of Afghanistan to reckon with.

He said the US pressurised Pakistan in the past for supporting Taliban and Haqqani network. Afghanistan is one of the most important political issues of the world and Pakistan's role has remained very central. Pakistan got caught into the situation due to geostrategic and geographical security and compulsion. Pakistan wanted its services and sacrifices to be recognised at global level and especially by the US, said Dr Adnan. He said the US has offered free trade agreement with Pakistan and changing the nature of relationship between US and Pakistan from strategic to tactical because US hopes that Pakistan can bring US and Taliban on the table and afterwards can help talks between Taliban and Afghan government. Although, US President Trump in 2017 renouncing the President Obama's Af-Pak Policy has increased the US military in Afghanistan. But now they have hinted for the withdrawal especially in backdrop of US retreat from Syria.

He said there were two points in the present talks between US and Taliban. 'Taliban insist the US should first withdraw from Afghanistan totally while the US urges Taliban should first renounce violence and come to mainstream politics before its withdrawal. The US wanted Pakistan to influence Taliban for accepting this vital point.

It is eighteen years long problem and it is not going to be resolved in days or weeks. It might take a year or so for proper results of the talks.