A series of incidents in the last few days unambiguously indicate a rift between Pakistan and the Taliban. The Taliban soldiers have uprooted the barbed wire fence on the border of the two countries. As if this is not enough, there are reports of exchange of fire between the Pakistani army and the Taliban fighters. Its videos have also surfaced. Although both the countries have maintained silence, Taliban supporters have spewed tremendous venom against Pakistan on social media.
You may recall that when America left Afghanistan in a hurry, Pakistan was overjoyed. Its Prime Minister Imran Khan had even described the Taliban’s takeover as the liberation of the Afghans. Entire Pakistan was convinced that now it is only a matter of time before Kashmir is conquered with the help of the Taliban! But the Taliban scuttled their plans by stating that Kashmir is an internal matter of India. With this statement, the Taliban had clearly indicated that it was not going to dance to the tune of Pakistan. Despite this, Pakistan did not lose hope as it felt that the Taliban would not forget all the help and support it had extended to them. When the American army had entered Afghanistan, the top Taliban leaders had fled and sought shelter in Pakistan. They were accommodated in Balochistan and Waziristan and even its Shura organisation started working from Balochistan. Pakistan had helped the Taliban in capturing Panjshir, but the Taliban forgot all this in no time.
Pakistan hoped that the Taliban would collaborate with it in dealing with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which is active in its tribal areas, but exactly the opposite happened. As soon as the Taliban came to power, they released the TTP fighters who were lodged in Afghanistan’s prisons. This added to the woes of Pakistan. The TTP immediately escalated attacks within Pakistan. This is the same organisation which had attacked a school in Peshawar in 2014 and massacred 140 children in cold blood. Following this, Imran Khan started talks about an agreement with the TTP through backdoor channels. There was a ceasefire but it did not last even a month. The Taliban did not help. Despite this, Imran Khan left no stone unturned to secure international recognition for the Talibani regime so that the Taliban could dance to their tune, but that did not work. Imran Khan even convened a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) but only 20 foreign ministers of its 57 member countries reached Islamabad. Other countries sent their representatives. Interestingly enough, on the same day as the meeting was being held in Islamabad, a meeting on Afghanistan was also held in India in which the foreign ministers of OIC members Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan participated. Three of these countries, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, share borders with Afghanistan. Quite obviously, the neighbours of Afghanistan are not with Pakistan. They rely more on India.
This incident forced the Taliban to think that Pakistan is of no use to them. They are also upset that even Pakistan has not recognised their government till now, whereas it was the first to recognise the previous regime. The Taliban is also aware that Pakistan which itself is moving around the world with a begging bowl, cannot help them financially or in any other manner. When India talked about sending wheat and medicines by road to help Afghanistan, Pakistan objected to it and threatened that Indian trucks would not be allowed to go there directly. Goods will be loaded in Pakistani trucks on the Indo-Pak border. This made the Taliban fear that Pakistan might grab the relief material. After coming to power, the Taliban have also realised that their land is occupied by Pakistan. Actually, there is a 2640-kilometre border between the two countries, which Afghanistan does not recognise. They believe that the tribal areas of Pakistan belong to them.
The Taliban believe that the tribal areas presently under Pakistan’s control, rightfully belong to them. Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid has also clearly stated that Pakistan’s system is not based on Islam. Although he did not say anything further, the intentions are clear. The TTP wants Islamic rule in those tribal areas. It is clear that the Taliban of both Afghanistan and Pakistan are one and the same. It is evident that the Taliban is a Frankenstein monster whom Pakistan nurtured, fed with a golden spoon and made powerful, and which is now coming back to hunt it. All these developments only indicate that the Taliban will destroy Pakistan.
May God bless..!
I would like to say one more thing. Actually, I am worried more about the innocent and unwary people living in Pakistan. It’s not their fault. What if the government itself starts following the wrong policies? And yes, I would like to give a piece of advice to Pakistan: You better remove the thought of Kashmir from your mind. It will be good for you and your people as well!
The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha
There is an old adage that if you raise a Jinn, someday it will eat you too. This is what is happening with Pakistan. The same Taliban whom Pakistan nurtured and fed with a golden spoon, are now talking about establishing an Islamic rule in Pakistan itself. Mind you Pakistan! The Taliban could not harm us, but it surely will destroy you!
