Fraying ties with Kabul threaten Islamabad

Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan held in Istanbul and brokered by Turkey and Qatar, have ended in a stalemate. Last minute attempts by the hosts to bring about a settlement have failed. However, the ceasefire agreed to in Qatar continues to hold. Talks are likely to resume on 6 November.

- HARSHA KAKAR

Both sides blamed the other for the collapse, giving identical reasons. The official comment from Islamabad and Kabul has been that midway through talks, negotiators received phone calls from their respective capitals, after which they hardened their stands, resulting in failure.

There were major differences. Pakistan insisted Afghanistan reign in the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan), which has regularly targeted its forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). This implied that Afghanistan would be held accountable for Pakistan's security. On their part, Afghan negotiators demanded Pakistan block the use of its airspace for US drones targeting Afghanistan.

The Taliban have repeatedly mentioned that the TTP is a Pakistani problem and does not exist on their soil, while Pakistan claims otherwise. On US drones, Pakistan said that it has an agreement with the US on opening its airspace, which it cannot break, though the US was not directly named. It also refused to reign in the ISIK (Islamic State-Khorasan Province), which had sought to overthrow the Kabul regime.

As per Tolo news "even the mediators" from Turkey and Qatar "were surprised and upset by the behaviour of the Pakistani side during the talks." After the failure of the talks, both sides began threatening the other of strikes in case they were attacked. Internally, the media has begun playing up national sentiments, each blaming the other.

On Pakistan's relations with its neighbours, the Afghan foreign affairs minister Amir Khan Mutaqqi had quipped in Delhi, "We have five other neighbours - all happy with us - and only Pakistan has problems." Pakistan currently has tense borders with all its three major neighbours, India, Iran and Afghanistan. It is time for Islamabad to look inwards and reevaluate its strategies. It has been Pakistan's habit to shift blame elsewhere, ignoring its own policies.