Here is the actual video. Saleem Saif was made to look like an amature
Anyways this video gives our friends in Pakistan what Ashraf Ghani's thinking of Pakistan and the region.
Some notes that folks may find interesting:
1. Gani sab says several times that the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is an emotionless one, not of friendship but one between states -- states do not have friends.
2. Yet soon thereafter he responds, angrily, to Salem Safi that
"We are proud of our friendship with India" -- I wonder if the Afghans see this contradiction or have they become so blinded in new words of "partnership", "national interest", "rationalism" that they do not see the obvious.
3. When interviewing a person of Ghani sab's stature you don't have complete leeway to ask questions -- typically the question are approved ahead of time -- But Saleem Safi should have asked Ghani sab:
do you think India is building Dams and your parliament building for free: beware of Greek Bearing Gifts
4. Further on the Indian Parliament -- I have always wondered how myopic the thinking was by Afghans to let India build the Parliament. It could have been an undertaking where they could have involved multiple Muslim countries like Turkey, Malaysia (of course not the wretched Pakistanis), the US that have shed lots of blood and treasure and made it a project that reflects the best of human and muslims aspirations -- what poetry that would have been. We are the story telling animal and symbolism is essential. Pakistanis are stupid but on this count I cannot find charitable words for the Afghans: grossly stupid.
5. Back to some other key things -- he says to take back the refugees, he needs to achieve between 6% to 9% -- which means wink-wink:
the refugees are your (Pakistan's) problem -- at least he is honest, or kinda honest [perhaps Afghans would argue that his Afghan pride prevents him from admitting that our enemy is where our people find refuge]
6. Further he then says that the poor state to state relationship can devolve into People to People hatred. I think this is where Ghani sab and the rest of Afghans are confused. Afghans should have always (like Pakistanis have),
first built on people to people equations; emphasizing that we share with each other more than what we share with anyone else.
States are artificial constructs -- they are born and die tumultuous deaths, many who are alive today have seen five Afghan state deaths and as many births of.
Afghan elites have systematically spun hatred of Pakistani people and I think now they are paying the price. The danger is that now this hatred is about to metastasis in the Pakistani public -- best of luck when that happens.
Imagine the state of Afghans when the statement "yeh hamaray Muslamaan Bhai Hain" become a relic of a bygone age.
7. Further if the Afghans are grateful for Pakistan's hosting of Afghan refugees they can certainly pay Pakistanis back by given them access to CARs, etc. etc. -- but
No state to state relations are only a valid paradigm when Afghans want something.
All in all -- a disappointing interview by Ghani sab.
