Change for the future

No one doubts that a stable Afghanistan is central to peace and a more settled future for the region, especially Pakistan. This can happen only if ties between Islamabad and Kabul are more cordial than they have been over the last four decades at least, notably since the then-Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s two-day visit to Pakistan which ended on Friday lays out the contours for a possible change in the future. This could be hugely beneficial to both countries, in terms of trade, access to resources and relations between people who share a cultural and historical past.

PrimeMinister Imran Khan, following hismeeting with Ghani, emphasised that the time had come to ‘transform’ relations between the two countries. Pakistan has been attempting to play its part in building peace in Afghanistan over a prolonged period of time. But as it continues in this endeavour, with the next round of talks between the US and the Taliban, facilitated by Pakistan and scheduled for Doha in the very near future, it is important the Taliban be reminded that they must eschew violence of all kinds to give Afghanistan the peace its people so badly need. They must also reconsider their unrelenting stance that they will not talk to Ghani and his team.Without these concessions, it is different to find a way forward. Pakistanmust do its best to nudge the situation to work for the good of the entire region. The welfare of the region comes above anything else.

President Ghani, who was visiting Pakistan for the third time,went out of hisway tomake his visit a friendly and wide-ranging one. Apart from the prime minister, he met the leaders of opposition parties and also businessmen in Lahore. The potential for business with Afghanistan is huge. Till now, Ghani and his government have adopted an openly hostile stance towards Pakistan. Evidence that this may be changing will be welcome. Pakistan must pick up on the patterns set by Afghanistan and move forward along a road that can lead to harmony and good ties. Geopolitics bind the two nations together. There can be no distance from each other. People who live along the border in both nations also seek a relationship that allows them to keep in contact with their families and friends across the Durand Line. The effort towards building such ties needs to continue given that this is the only hope of creating calm in a region that has for too long known only conflict, bloodshed, bitterness and war.