The fall of Kabul

This refers to the articles ‘Shackles of stupidity’ by Mosharraf Zaidi and ‘Playground of empires’ by Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (August 31). The writers have rightly expressed their disappointment over the overly enthusiastic reaction of a specific segment of society to the recent events in Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan will never end unless the Taliban stick to their promise of forming an inclusive government and complying with international human rights agreements. Pakistan should act wisely and impartially since each course of action has its own set of consequences as suggested by the writers. However, it should not be forgotten that every stakeholder in Afghanistan has been looking after its own interests. Those who blame Pakistan for the prevailing situation should not forget that a large number of detractors of Pakistan faced humiliation after their hasty retreat from the war-torn country. Families of thousands of Pakistanis who lost their dear ones must have felt a sense of recuperation – not celebration.

Dr Najeeb A Khan

San Diego, USA