Kabul to boycott Pakistan meetings

[Cheetah786]

Afghanistan has announced it will boycott a series of meetings with Pakistan, in response to attacks it blames on its neighbour's spy agency, unless "bilateral trust" can be restored.

The cabinet decision, reported on Tuesday, follows comments by Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, who accused Pakistan's secret service of being behind a series of recent attacks.

Karzai directly accused Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of a role in a series of deadly attacks, including the bombing of the Indian embassy last week.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied accusations of involvement in the wave of violence in Afghanistan.

It accuses Kabul of attempting to defer its own responsibilities to combat the causes of Taliban-related violence.

In Islamabad on Monday, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Pakistan's defence minister, rejected the charge that the ISI was involved in the Indian embassy bombing.

But a statement from Afghanistan's cabinet echoed Karzai's accusations.

"The people of Afghanistan, the world, know very well that Pakistan's intelligence agency and military have turned that country to the biggest exporter of terrorism and extremism to the world, particularly Afghanistan," the statement said.

James Bays, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Kabul, said: "This is the strongest statement we have ever seen from Afghan cabinet. It's not just words, it's actions. They are saying they are going to boycott three bilateral meetings - one of which is particlularly key because it is about the border."

The cabinet decision came as a protest to what it called "direct interference in its [Afghanistan's] internal affairs".

"Every day and all over our country, children, women, clerics, teachers, as well as international workers in Afghanistan ... are killed and wounded and disabled," the Afghan statement said.

Further strain

The Afghan government's move is likely to further strain relations between the two countries, whose shared border has become a safe heaven for the Taliban, al-Qaeda and fighters from other armed groups.

"I think this will mean dismay for Nato and for the Americans," Bays said.

While Pakistan is yet to announce its official reaction to the Afghan accusations, Owais Ahmed Ghani, governor of the North West Frontier Province, has told Al Jazeera that the problems lie "within" Afghanistan.

Al Jazeera's correspondent Kamal Hyder has learnt that all Afghan television channels have been taken off air in Pakistan.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/07/20087158031534803.html

I think its time for pakistan to send all afghans back to this hell on earth and block all trade see how fast this p.i.g comes out of his cave .This man is really starting to piss me off .

 

[blain2]

They are being exploited by we know whom and in turn we block all trade to poor Afghans? That won't win us too many friends and also under International law Pakistan cannot block trade to a land-locked country. If Pakistan is to forgo the strategic depth concept then Afghanistan has to lose all of the anti-Pakistani Panjsheris from the government. There is just too much mistrust between the two sides to come up with anything good if these two factors remain. (Reality is that this will carry on).

If our sorry ***, beghairat government was worth its salt, it would have told the Afghans to lump it! But as always some insignificant idiot will offer up his two worthless cents and that would be the end of it.

This will be a tiring war of attrition, in the end, all of this will lead up to some sort of talks and accommodation for Pakhtuns. There is simply no other alternate.

 

[EagleEyes]

Karzai is talking too much. Even Bush realizes what he is up to. When his term ends is the question otherwise cutting off all the ties may be the option.

But is it what the India really wants?

May be!

 

[IceCold]

They are being exploited by we know whom and in turn we block all trade to poor Afghans? That won't win us too many friends and also under International law Pakistan cannot block trade to a land-locked country. If Pakistan is to forgo the strategic depth concept then Afghanistan has to lose all of the anti-Pakistani Panjsheris from the government. There is just too much mistrust between the two sides to come up with anything good if these two factors remain. (Reality is that this will carry on).

If our sorry ***, beghairat government was worth its salt, it would have told the Afghans to lump it! But as always some insignificant idiot will offer up his two worthless cents and that would be the end of it.

This will be a tiring war of attrition, in the end, all of this will lead up to some sort of talks and accommodation for Pakhtuns. There is simply no other alternate.

Blain sir who will stop us from putting a blockade on a land locked country anyways? The international law? What law is there any thing other then the usual BS and crying out loud, i don't think so they can do anything more. While i agree that we need to be more friendly with the pastuns of the afghan side, we do however need to send a strong signal to Afghanistan that we are capable of doing that they cant imagine. Afghanistan needs to learn its place. I know our shitty government will not do a damn thing, but neither did Musharraf in his own tenure. Why in the hell do we get all behairats in every GOP, i am still confused.

 

[roadrunner]

^^I'm quite fascinated by the level of non intellect displayed there.

Afghan politicians (possibly NA Tajiks and the odd extra idiot) make one policy which to your mind justifies punishing whole groups of people who have no say in the matter. How on earth will this affect Karzai? It will strengthen his position with his people, who would see Pakistan as behaving callously.

If Karzai threatens to cut off relations with Pakistan in meetings, Pakistan should just say, fine, bye bye. There's no need to take it any further, and definitely no sense to punish people for such a thing, when they possibly don't even support the politicians.

 

[cactuslily58]

There are few issues before considering an option of Blockade.

1. Can it be enforced ?

2. Assuming it can be enforced, whom will it affect more the Afgan or Pak economy ? What will happen to the countless people whose livelihood depends directly & indirectly upon what goes into Afghanistan form various parts of Pak legally & illegally. If it comes to a blockade even a symbolic air lift into Kabul will cause great damage to Pak reputation.

3. This will permanently close any options for mending fences between Pak - Afgan. Memories will live on forever ( remember Pak has never forgotten or will ever forget 1971, like India with 1962).

4. The reason why the "Shitty" Govt ( to quote from link #4) cannot do a damn thing is as follows :
a) The money paid by US to Pak.
b) The existence of the Gen is linked to his actions in that part of the world.
c) Pak has damaged itself by not being able to establish control on the Western borders hence there is no sanctity of what it says / claims to be the ground situation there.

5. In South Asia we all are living in glass houses. Therefore as the old saying goes..it is advisable to turn off the lights while changing clothes..!!

 

[EagleEyes]

Actually cutting off ties is the main goal here. He wants to create a spice like that of India Vs Pakistan. I agree with the notion of not taking bold steps regardless of what Karzai says. I believe statements from our FO is enough.. he does wants attention, and he shouldn't really get any.

 

[JK!]

Pakistan must focus on its national scurity first before considering another countries.

If Afghanistan wishes to sulk like a petulant child then let them the world will see that it is they who are hampering efforts to get things done.

 

[Skywalker]

Let the dog bark, we know that his government is only backed up by Northern alliance which comprises of just 5% of the total population(correct me if am wrong in percentage). We also must not forget there is another player behind Northern alliance and i.e., Iran. Who always supports them.

We know that we can always and easily take care of Northen Alliance who are nothing but bunch of criminals and warlords.

I think its better for GOP to not to give any importance to this dog's staement, its an open secret as who is giving the dictation to him.

 

[Majnun]

^^I'm quite fascinated by the level of non intellect displayed there.

Afghan politicians (possibly NA Tajiks and the odd extra idiot) make one policy which to your mind justifies punishing whole groups of people who have no say in the matter. How on earth will this affect Karzai? It will strengthen his position with his people, who would see Pakistan as behaving callously.

If Karzai threatens to cut off relations with Pakistan in meetings, Pakistan should just say, fine, bye bye. There's no need to take it any further, and definitely no sense to punish people for such a thing, when they possibly don't even support the politicians.

Karzai, NA and India all want this to happen and for Pakistan to react in some extreme way which will end up hurting Pakistan and common Afghans, not Karzai.
We want to denounce Karzai, that's fine. But we should not cut off ties as that hurts Pakistan and all Afghanistan not Karzai specifically, if at all.
NA has always been an Indian, Russian and Irani backed organization, and all of these countries are hostile to Pakistan (Iran since 1979).
Therefore, NA has always been extremely hostile to Pakistan, even more so than Russia or Iran, as much as India, at least.

 

[Majnun]

Let the dog bark, we know that his government is only backed up by Northern alliance which comprises of just 5% of the total population(correct me if am wrong in percentage). We also must not forget there is another player behind Northern alliance and i.e., Iran. Who always supports them.

We know that we can always and easily take care of Northen Alliance who are nothing but bunch of criminals and warlords.

I think its better for GOP to not to give any importance to this dog's staement, its an open secret as who is giving the dictation to him.

No, actually I think its more.
NA is comprised of Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazaras, who together make up about 40% of the population. Pashtuns are very few in NA and comprise 55% of the population of Afghanistan, which means, I think, that there are about 16-17 million Pashtuns in Afghanistan. So, NA is about 15-20% of the population of Afghanistan at most.

 

[TacOps]

I actually see this as an opportunity for Pakistan....to get the hell out of the Afghanistan mess!

Uptil now we have been skeptical of withdrawing support from Afghanistan thinking what the world would think....now they are giving us an excuse

Personally I think that instead of asking money from US to support the war, Pakistan should instead ask for that Karzai to be removed. I am pretty sure he thinks of Afghanistan as a colony of India.

 

[Majnun]

I actually see this as an opportunity for Pakistan....to get the hell out of the Afghanistan mess!

Uptil now we have been skeptical of withdrawing support from Afghanistan thinking what the world would think....now they are giving us an excuse

Personally I think that instead of asking money from US to support the war, Pakistan should instead ask for that Karzai to be removed. I am pretty sure he thinks of Afghanistan as a colony of India.

If Karzai was removed and replaced with a non-NA person, then why would we need to get out of Afghanistan?
We can't get out of any 'mess' in Afghanistan. We will always be a part of anything going on there, we are inextricably linked together.

 

[roadrunner]

Karzai, NA and India all want this to happen and for Pakistan to react in some extreme way which will end up hurting Pakistan and common Afghans, not Karzai.
We want to denounce Karzai, that's fine. But we should not cut off ties as that hurts Pakistan and all Afghanistan not Karzai specifically, if at all.
NA has always been an Indian, Russian and Irani backed organization, and all of these countries are hostile to Pakistan (Iran since 1979).
Therefore, NA has always been extremely hostile to Pakistan, even more so than Russia or Iran, as much as India, at least.

True. I agree with this. It's what the game they're playing is about. And people obviously fall for it.

 

[Majnun]

5. In South Asia we all are living in glass houses. Therefore as the old saying goes..it is advisable to turn off the lights while changing clothes..!!

The saying is Don't throw rocks in glass houses.