‘Taliban need to shape future political system of Afghanistan’

Islamabad : Dr Abdullah Anas, scholar and author from Algeria, has said that happiness through military victory is not permanent as a real victory is a political victory.

Dr Anas was addressing a webinar on “Evolving Situation in Afghanistan'' organised here by Institute of Strategic Studies.

Dr Anas said that before international recognition of the Taliban, we have to solve the issue of a political solution inside Afghanistan. History is a witness that the politics of exclusion and intolerance did not last long. “The Taliban need to learn from this and be compelled to shape the future political system of Afghanistan,” he added.

Dr Adam Weinstein from Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, US, said that the ideal situation would have been the formation of an inclusive set up in Afghanistan and if there had been some form of transition instead of the present uncertainty. He said that the previous government in Kabul was mired in strategic incompetence pursued its own short-sighted political gains and as a result Afghans suffered. He also said if something is not done soon, there will be casualties in Afghanistan due to starvation.

He said that the recent “Sanction Pakistan” effort was a laughable proposition because it did not solve any US problem related to Afghanistan. Here he added that though Pakistan does not have complete leverage over the Taliban, it is in Islamabad's interest to work with the Taliban government and form an inclusive government.

Dr Daud Abdullah, Director Middle East Monitor (MEMO), said that the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan was always seen as an affront to what it means to be an Afghan. The reaction which we saw as a result of the invasion was predictable for a country that was never colonised. There had long been recognition that the war in Afghanistan was unwinnable.

Dr Tamim Asey, founder and Executive Chairperson, Institute of War and Peace Studies, Kabul, said that no single group can rule Afghanistan and any power grab will not survive in Afghanistan. He stressed that wars are a costly business and the resources to facilitate war in Afghanistan should be questioned and concluded that is too early to say that the Taliban takeover is a military victory since fighting is still ongoing. He advised the Taliban to accept the diversity of Afghanistan. The way to win peace is to form an inclusive, broad based government.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, head of ISS said that the end of any occupation is an inevitable reality and should be endorsed. He believed that the Taliban could achieve political stability in Afghanistan, provided they form an inclusive setup and honour their commitments and adopt a more moderate outlook.