Ending Afghanistan’s isolation: Will Pakistan take the first step?

Five months after surviving an attack on his life that was claimed by Daesh, Ubaid Nizamani, Pakistan’s envoy to Kabul, returned to the Afghan capital to assume his duties last week. 

The return of the envoy viewed in the context of an economic collapse of the Taliban government and its virtual paralysis imposed by a long and lonely isolation, presents an alarming situation. 

While the Taliban leadership shows inexplicable intransigence on issues like women working, Kabul needs to be engaged by external facilitators to persuade its top leaders to handle policies with foresight and pragmatism. Such a role should ideally be performed by Islamabad alongside close allies. 

It is shocking that so far there has been no real, focused diplomatic intervention by anyone in the region or otherwise, to try to guide the new Afghan rulers to adopt a more cautious and measured political approach. No neighbouring or regional country has shown any real concern on the ongoing economic crisis that threatens to de-stabilize the entire area if not addressed in time. Islamabad has chosen not to be ‘involved’ partly because of US sensitivities on the issue, but mainly because its current rulers are engaged in a fierce battle with the opposition and the judiciary. 

Any one country that takes the first step, that dares to end this period of uncertainty and decides to establish formal diplomatic relations with Afghanistan will be soon followed by many others. 

Rustam Shah Mohmand

Partly, the Taliban leadership is to blame for the world’s grave indifference to an issue that needs to be addressed immediately. Their stance on governance, minorities, girls’ higher education and women working have all contributed to an absurd impression about what the future holds for the West Asian country. This is precisely the reason China has so far not taken any concrete action to help the country overcome its ‘isolation.’ China has an abiding interest in a stable, progressive Afghanistan so it can play a positive role in the completion of its huge one belt one road connectivity project. For China, a peaceful Afghanistan is a grave necessity so that elements of Daesh and other such outfits do not make inroads into Xinjiang and other border areas. 

There is also massively unexplored mineral wealth in Afghanistan. The hope is that these untapped treasures will one day be brought to the surface by employing technology and capital, bringing a huge transformation in Afghan lives and infrastructure. 

Any one country that takes the first step, that dares to end this period of uncertainty and decides to establish formal diplomatic relations with Afghanistan will be soon followed by many others. The ice will melt sooner than most people can imagine. The latest United Nations statement regarding Afghanistan is full of promise -- it talks about taking small measures, ‘baby steps’ to pave the way for ending the country’s isolation. It is an approach worth pursuing because it has the potential to deliver. With the UN on board, now countries like Pakistan with their envoy back in place, should take courage and begin to pursue a more aggressive policy on engaging the Taliban government on issues that include women’s work and education etc.

 If Islamabad has any vision or foresight at all, it must adopt a more active and pragmatic approach to dealing with Afghanistan. Ignoring the need to guide the Taliban government to course correction would be folly with a huge price to pay for the region. 

Small, cautious steps – or baby steps – in close coordination with the UN  and China can help bring about a historic breakthrough. The alternative is too grim to contemplate. 

- Rustam Shah Mohmand is a specialist of Afghanistan and Central Asian Affairs. He has served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan and also held position of Chief Commissioner Refugees for a decade.