ISLAMABAD Aug 26: The undemocratic rulers and the agencies in Pakistan were responsible for the unsuccessful Afghan policy and it was the right time that the Afghans were accepted as a brotherly nation to help restore stability and lasting peace in the region.

These views were expressed by speakers on Monday at the launching ceremony of a book on Afghanistan, titled “Unholy Nexus”, written by seasoned journalist Imtiaz Gul. It covers pre and post Taliban era till September 11, 2001.

The speakers included former Senate deputy chairman Sardar Wazir Ahmed Jogezai, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) chairman Afrasiyab Khattak, Swedish ambassador Peter Tejler, Lt- Gen Kamal Matinuddin (retired) and former member parliament, M.P. Bhandara.

They criticized Pakistan’s role in the creation of Taliban and the support extended to them on the behest of external players, leading to the destruction of the war-ravaged country.

They also mentioned the positive aspect of Taliban’s turbulent rule and said they successfully maintained law and order, eradicated narcotics and deweaponiszed the society.

Mr Khattak demanded appraisal of the Afghan policy adopted by the past rulers through a public debate to fix responsibility on those who played havoc with the peace of the whole region.

He said it was unfortunate that the formulation of a wrong policy on Afghanistan and reaction against the regime installed in Kabul by the former Soviet Union was attributed to the 20 per cent of the army generals, although it was the other way round.

He questioned the coincidence that all the American attacks on the so-called terrorist hide-outs in Afghanistan were made in areas only three kilometre away from Pakistani border in the last six months.

Mr Khattak said to have a balanced policy with neighbours, democratic rule needed to be restored in Pakistan as the right to rule the country rested with the people who could judge best if anything was going against the national interest. He said, in a recent visit to Kabul, he had found that despite an apparent policy change, the Pakistani authorities still did not trust Afghans and doubted their friendship, which was disturbing the relations between the two countries.

He demanded publishing of a white paper, containing all the facts about the unholy role of agencies in mishandling of Afghan issue by wrongfully giving it a deep strategic depth.

Gen Kamal Matinuddin (retired) said Pakistan’s Afghan policy was aimed at gaining commercial benefits, besides taking into consideration other important factors like Pakhtoons living on both sides of the border. A far as the pre-empting of Indian influence was concerned, he pointed out that Kabul’s attitude towards Pakistan had been inimical even before its coming into being, as former King Zahir Shah had wrote to the British rulers to give freedom to the NWFP since it was a Pakthoon-dominated area.

He, however, criticized Pakistan’s initiation of the destabilizing currents in Afghanistan by hiring services of Hekmatyar, Rabbani and others who were trained to fight against the sitting rulers on cost of stability of the two countries.

Handing over of Afghan policy to Frontier Corps through Gen Naseerullah Babar (retired) and the Inter Services Intelligence, Gen Matinuddin said, was the first mistake which was against the country’s interest. The creation of Taliban, he said, was in reaction to the adamant attitude of Rabbani, who extended his rule for one-and-half-year.

He, however, denied that the Taliban regime was supported by Pakistan’s regular army at any point during the whole period of their rule.

Swedish envoy Peter Tejler said it was wrong to assume that Afghanistan could accept influence of any neighbouring country. He said it was also questionable as to why Pakistan continued backing the Taliban regime when other countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE withdrew their support.