ASHRAF GHANI VISIT TO PAKISTAN

Newly elected President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani opted to visit Pakistan as his maiden visit after being elected. The Americans are withdrawing from Afghanistan this year and the Taliban eagle is spreading its wing to swoop and snatch power from the elected democratic Government.
Looking to this dangerous scenario , Ghani perhaps thought that instead of talking to the dog why not talk to its masters who are holding the leash. That is the Pakistan Army. The question which remains to be answered is will the Pakistan Army help Afghanistan in demolishing the Taliban and support the duly elected Government in Kabul to rule democratically according to the wishes of its people.
The history of Pakistan supporting various terrorist organisations as proxies to achieve its dangerous foreign policy objectives is well known.Adm. Mullen the then Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff succinctly testified in the Senate Armed Services Committee as under
"In choosing to use violent extremism as an instrument of policy, the government of Pakistan … jeopardizes not only the prospect of our strategic partnership, but also Pakistan's opportunity to be a respected nation with legitimate regional influence,"In its report dated October of this year The US Department of Defense's biannual report titled "Progress Towards Security and Stability in Afghanistan. "  states as under
" Pakistan continues to serve as a safe haven for the Taliban and other jihadist groups and that the Pakistani government often uses some terrorist organizations as proxies."
 The world today acknowledges Pakistan as a nursery of terrorists.
Keeping the above facts in view it becomes very difficult for any person to believe that Mr Ghani present overtures to Pakistan will result in any substantial change in its deep rooted relationship  with terrorism. It should not be forgotten that Taliban and Haqqani network are the children of Pakistan Army. Right from raising these groups,supplying cadres from madrassas located in Pakistan, training them and supplying arms Pakistan has its hand full. These terrorist groups were raised to wage Pakistan war in Afghanistan. To keep Afghanistan out of India's influence and to see that the Govt of Afghanistan remains under its thumb. Today Mr. Ghani main concern is to defeat the Taliban and exterminate it from the soil of Afghanistan. Does he really think that his utterly butterly visit will make Pakistan a ally to jointly defeat the Taliban? Will the Pakistan Army launch a joint operation with Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and Haqqani group? A big NO. Pakistan is not going to do any such thing. This is because Pakistan's strategic depth policy does not allow this. The army in Pakistan strongly holds the view that Afghanistan should be a extension of Pakistan. It should be friendly towards Pakistan, which to them means anti Indian and its economy and trade heavily tilted towards Pakistan. In a nutshell Afghanistan should be its slave. This means Afghanistan should not have a  independent foreign and defence policy. Afghans are a proud race and its people are aware that Pakistan has a major role in inflicting years of death and destruction upon them. Therefore Mr Ghani should carefully tread the path with Pakistan and should be cautious in not getting trapped. There is all the possibility that Pakistan is playing the role of a double crosser. Softening the resistance of Afghanistan towards Taliban and  secretly preparing the Taliban for the final strike.
Just after Mr.Ghani left Pakistan  Mr Sartaz Aziz advisor to Nawaz Sharif on security affairs gave this interesting statement to BBC urdu
"When the United States attacked Afghanistan, all those that were trained and armed were pushed towards us.Some of them were dangerous for us and some are not. Why must we make enemies out of them all?,” he said when speaking about the Haqqani Network.He further said that the Afghan Taliban are Afghanistan’s problem and Haqqani Network is a part of it. " So the cat is out of the bag. Pakistan will protect good Taliban and fight bad Taliban till they turn good. So Mr Ashraf Ghani be prepared for a proxy war to destabilise  your country. Your appeal to Pakistan for better relations have obviously not made any effect on them.There was a interesting event in the itinerary of Mr.Ghani. He was to meet the COAS of Pakistan first and then the Prime Minister of Pakistan. This never happens in any other country. The visiting Head of State  always meets his opposite first. In this case he should have met Mr. Nawaz Sharif first. Mr Ghani called on Gen. Raheel Sharif at GHQ Rawalpindi. See the photo above. Ghani sitting in a supplication posture before a puffed up General with a stick in his hand. The message is clear. I decide the foreign and defence policy of Pakistan and not the elected PM of Pakistan. Mr Ghani should contemplate whether any trustworthy negotiations are possible with a nation where its army has usurped the power of the PM. The Pakistan Army priority will be to destabilise Afghanistan to extend its power rather than do anything better for the people of Afghanistan.
 Pakistan time and again has impressed upon Afghanistan that it should not allow Indian influence to grow there. Infact it wants that Indian consulates should be closed, massive development projects by India should be terminated and training of  their defence personnel's by India be stopped. It seems that Pakistan has forgotten that Afghanistan is  a independent country free to take its decisions and develop ties with any country in the world. How can Pakistan decide who should be friend or not of Afghanistan ? This is a insult to the dignity of a proud and independent nation. Mr Ghani should carefully ponder whether in his pursuit for a resurgent Afghanistan he should allow such interference in its internal affair by Pakistan.
 Mr Ghani would also be aware that large amount of Afghan territory is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. The Durand line has never been recognized by any Afghan Govt.These Pashtun territories legitimately belongs to Afghanistan and demand for its return should be pressed upon Pakistan in any negotiations.
 Whether this visit of Mr Ashraf Ghani would bear any fruit and bring peace and stability in the region is doubtful because Pakistan game plan is to keep Afghanistan as a slave. No self respecting nation will allow this to happen. It is for Afghanistan to decide its future course independently. India is a well trusted and well tested friend. We dont want the Taliban there. We dont want Islamisation and militancy in Afghanistan. Our goals are similar and therefore Mr Ghani should strengthen its relation with India further instead of being bullied by Pakistan.
 AK BUNDI