KARACHI – World community should cooperate with the new Afghan regime to avoid Afghanistan from falling into political instability because if Afghanistan descends into chaos, regional instability will ensue, says Dr. Masuma Hasan, a former diplomat and the Chairperson of Pakistan Institute of International Affairs. She was speaking as the Guest Speaker in an online Shura Hamdard Karachi meeting, held yesterday on the title: “Transition in Afghanistan and World Peace, Concerns & Expectations.”
Speaker Shura Hamdard Karachi retired Justice Haziq-ul-Khairi presided over the meeting. He and Mrs. Sadia Rashid, National President of Shura Hamdard, and Dr. Sana Ghouri, Manager Publications Hamdard Foundation Pakistan attended the meeting via zoom from Hamdard’s corporate head office.
Dr. Masuma Hasan said: “US’s exit strategy was flawed and posed serious risks to the future of Afghanis. By holding a peace dialogue with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, the US had accepted the political legitimacy of the Taliban in Afghanistan. But after complete withdrawal of troops, international community backed by the US, froze all assets of Afghanistan and stopped providing aid.”
She also said that the international community had put forward series of demands to the Taliban regime in order to recognize the Taliban regime, including the participation of women in all social spheres of life, representation of all ethnicities in the government and to guarantee that Afghan soil would not be used for terrorism. “So far, the Taliban government has failed to fulfill the demands,” she added.
“Pakistan should not hurry in recognizing Taliban government on its own. This decision must be made in cooperation with other countries,” she also said.
Justice (r) Haziq-ul-Khairi suggested organizing an international Islamic conference in Kabul to show the true picture of Islam to the Taliban. “Islam not only allows education but also encourages women to actively participate in society,” he said.
Zafar Iqbal said: “America negotiated its withdrawal from Afghanistan with Taliban, thus ended its 20-years war. Then, instead of further enhancing the relations, US put restrictions on Taliban-led Afghanistan by freezing its assets. Regional powers and neighbours should accept the Taliban government in order to avoid human catastrophe and political chaos.”
Anwar Siddiqui said: “A group of high-profile US senators – including a former presidential nominee – has moved a bill in the US Senate seeking imposition of sanctions on the Afghan Taliban that could also potentially extend to Pakistan.” This is a disturbing development as Pakistan had been a frontline partner in the war on terror. Pakistan sacrificed more than 100,000 souls to ensure global peace.”
Cdre (r) Sadeed Anwar Malik said: “The Taliban’s victory has galvanized Tehreek-e- Taliban Pakistan to wage a bloody insurgency inside Pakistan. The funding of TTP mainly from India has not stopped. Pakistan should engage Afghans and provide them necessary medical, banking, and other much-needed training in different fields.”
Ibne Hassan Rizvi said: “Pakistan is beginning to reckon with the destabilizing effects washing across the Afghan border. The validity of Durand Line will also be questioned as Afghanistan has never accepted its legitimacy.”
Col (r) Mukhtar Ahmed Butt said: “Pakistan should not indulge itself in diplomacy for Afghanistan. Pakistan must focus on its regional interests only. US Senate is trying to blame Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan, which could lead to adverse effects on our economy.”
At the end Justice (r) Haziq-ul-Khairi thanked Dr. Masuma Hasan and members of Shura Hamdard Karachi for attending the meeting and said Islam gives rights to women and non-Muslim communities. After that he concluded the meeting.
