PAKISTAN has always emphasised the need for bringing peace to Afghanistan through political reconciliation. However, the US policies, being devoid of hindsight and foresight, aimed at defeating the Taliban on the battlefield, which was and is seemingly impossible.

It is astounding that despite the hefty presence of foreign troops on Afghan soil, the Taliban control vast areas. This impregnable grip of insurgents over certain areas depicts the incompetency and incapacity of troops deployed there.

Recently, the Taliban also took over the Anardarah district, thus causing the situation to swing in their favour. This all portrays failure of the USA’s belligerent policies.

At present it clearly appears that Washington has accepted a reality: the Taliban cannot be defeated on the battlefield. Therefore, the fundamental shift in its policy could be easily observed from President Ashraf Ghani’s offer to recognise the Taliban as a legitimate political party. Moreover, as US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said: “The victory will be a political reconciliation,” it bode very well for Afghanistan.

Now is the time for Pakistan to play its decisive role to make the situation riper for negotiations between Washington and the Taliban so that peace could prevail in war-torn country.

Mohammad Tabasum Malhan
Ghotki

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2018