KARACHI: Pakistan should adopt a policy of non-interference towards Afghanistan as it’s the only permanent solution to end hostilities and improve ties with the neighbouring country.

This was said by experts at a panel discussion during the launch of journalist and analyst Saleem Safi’s latest book Dirty War on Sunday at the 16th Urdu Conference organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan.

Besides Mr Safi, the panel was comprised of senior journalists Suhail Warraich and Mazhar Abbas, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader and former federal minister Senator Faisal Subzwari and Arts Council president and caretaker information minister Ahmed Shah.

The panellists observed that Mr Safi’s new book was a detailed analysis of the decades-long war in the region that had deeply affected Pakistan in economic, social, cultural and security aspects.

Panellists discuss Pakistan’s policy towards Afghanistan at launch of journalist Saleem Safi’s new book

Speaking of the 40-year-long war in Afghanistan and its impact on Pakistan, Mr Safi said that it had deeply harmed not only the neighbouring country, but also brought extremism, terrorism, smuggling, drugs and many problems in Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan had been a laboratory of global and regional powers, where they did whatever they wanted.

He added that all of this had destroyed not only the two countries’ economy, but also their culture and societal set-up, which was equally important.

He said that he had always suggested that the policy of Pakistan towards Afghanistan should be centred on non-interference.

He said China had not helped Pakistan as had the United States, especially in monetary matters, but despite that, the state and people of Pakistan hated the US and loved China.

“It is because the US helped us a lot and gave us money but also dictated us on many things and interfered in our matter, but China never did anything of the sort,” he said, adding that, in the same manner, Pakistan’s policy towards Afghanistan should also be like that of China.

Mr Safi declined to comment when Mr Shah asked him what policies the current chief of the army staff had over these issues.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Warraich said an impression was being created by many in Pakistan that the US and its allied forces had been badly defeated and Afghanistan had won. However, in reality it had actually destroyed Afghanistan. It was like another world war which was waged on Afghanistan for decades by various powers, he added.

Pointing out that there were mistakes in the country’s policy, Mr Abbas said that the people of Pakistan were led to believe in the myth that the Soviet Union would invade and conquer Pakistan after it invaded Afghanistan.

He added that such consecutive policy mistakes had brought terrorism in the country and made it a symbol or ‘brand’ of terrorism for the world. “So, we became victims of our own mistakes,” he added.

Senator Subzwari said extremism had penetrated in the society to such an extent that any reforms would become very difficult if it continued in the same way.

He said writing or saying anything, particularly for minorities in the country, and even child abuse, was being seen at odds with religion by many who also tried to justify such injustices.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2023