Uncertain future

Pakistan’s neighbour, Afghanistan, is in the clutches of chaos and mayhem, and it is on the verge of collapse. So far, the Taliban has seized five provincial capitals in Afghanistan. Previously, more than 80 percent of the country’s districts were under Taliban control. According to a UN report, around 1,000 civilians have been killed in the last month alone. It is being feared that this precarious situation may worsen in the coming days.

Unfortunately, Pakistan will have to bear the brunt of this chaos and unrest. At present, the country hosts over 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees. Unrest in the country will force more people to seek shelter across the border. Instability in Afghanistan will be a breeding ground for proxy wars which can destabilise Pakistan. The way forward is to reach a national consensus to deal with these challenges. Unfortunately, political parties are not paying attention to this important issue. Parliament is almost non-functional; the gap between the government and the opposition is too wide that the two sides aren’t ready to sit down and talk about national security. All political parties should have a debate on this matter in parliament. PM Imran Khan should do away with his rigid attitude and must have talks with his political opponents. Political leaders should also talk with state institutions to draft the country’s security policy.

Rahman Rasheed

Buner