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The war of sanctuaries threatens both Pakistan and Afghanistan

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War of sanctuaries
ZAHID HUSSAIN — UPDATED about 4 hours ago
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The writer is an author and journalist.


THE latest spate of deadly violence and the military’s punitive strikes on terrorist camps across the Durand Line has caused tensions between Kabul and Islamabad to escalate. This time, matters have gone beyond the usual blame game that is witnessed after each terrorist strike on either side of the border. In an unprecedented move, Pakistan has closed its border with Afghanistan and has issued shoot-on-sight orders to be carried out against trespassers.

What triggered this fury is the trail of the latest surge in violence leading to militant groups operating from Afghanistan. After being driven out of the tribal areas, several factions of the Pakistani Taliban have found a safe haven across the border. The latest bloodbath indicates how quickly the militants have regrouped to launch barbaric acts of terror across Pakistan.

While such spectacular and synchronised terror attacks require support and facilitation of the militant networks inside the country, safe havens across the border allow greater freedom of movement for militants. The long, porous border has made it much easier for militants to escape any crackdown.

The Jamaatul Ahrar, which is responsible for the recent attacks claiming over 100 innocent lives, is the largest and most lethal of Pakistani militant outfits currently operating from the Afghan border region. The network has pledged allegiance to the militant Islamic State group (IS) making the situation much more dangerous.

Cross-border safe havens are major obstacles in the fight against insurgencies and terrorism.
The Pakistani military claims to have targeted some of the group’s hideouts along the border and killed some of its senior commanders. But one is not sure if such retaliatory actions could have destroyed the cross-border terror infrastructure that is believed to have the support of elements within the Afghan intelligence agencies. There is also some evidence of the group having links with factions of the Afghan Taliban.

There is always a danger of escalation in such cases of cross-border actions. One cannot agree more with the Pakistani army chief seeking joint anti-terror efforts. But there is also the question of our cooperation with Kabul that has long blamed ‘state-sanctioned’ sanctuaries of the Afghan Taliban in Pakistan’s frontier regions for the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.

While one may not agree with the allegations that our intelligence agencies are involved in terrorist attacks inside Afghanistan, there is some element of truth to the contention that the Afghan insurgency could not have been sustained for so long without the Taliban finding safe havens in Pakistan. It is no more a secret that most Afghan Taliban leaders had been operating out of Pakistan.

So one is not surprised that the Afghan government has handed over its own list of 85 insurgents that it says are taking sanctuary in Pakistan, in response to our demand for the extradition of 76 militants hiding in Afghanistan. Those wanted by the Afghan government include leaders of the Haqqani network and other Taliban commanders. The alleged Afghan patronage of Pakistani militants is seen as a tit-for-tat action to increase pressure on Pakistan, as the Kabul administration is confronted with a rising Taliban insurgency.

This war of sanctuaries has been a major reason for the latest escalation of terrorist attacks both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This dangerous approach of ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’ has provided terrorists greater space to operate, thereby threatening the entire region. Cross-border attacks only fuel hostilities between the two countries, making it more difficult for them to join hands in fighting the common enemy. Moreover, there is also a need for a clearer understanding of who is the enemy.

Undeniably, cross-border sanctuaries are major obstacles in the fight against insurgencies and terrorism. It is not only true for Pakistan, but also for Afghanistan fighting its Taliban insurgency. Hostile relations between the two neighbouring nations have certainly made it much more difficult for them to deal with the scourge of terrorism.

Afghanistan, too, has suffered massive civilian casualties in militant violence in the past few years. According to a recent UN report, 2016 was the bloodiest year in Afghanistan since the US invasion in 2001, with thousands of civilians killed in terrorist attacks, many of them women and children. A number of those attacks were claimed by insurgent groups linked with IS that have also been involved in attacks in Pakistan.

Indeed, there is a long history of Pakistan and Afghanistan offering sanctuary to each other’s opponents — a major source of bitterness and mistrust between the two neighbours. While in the past, Afghanistan sheltered Baloch and Pakhtun separatists, Pakistan extended refuge to the mujahideen following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and once more to the Taliban after the US invasion.

The support for the Afghan ‘jihad’ militarised and radicalised the border region and this continues to haunt both sides. Islamabad’s concern over the support for the Baloch nationalist insurgency by Indian intelligence in Afghanistan has also aggravated relations between the two countries.

Both countries must remove the main sources of tension between them in order to formulate a joint strategy to confront the challenges of terrorism and violent insurgency. The insurgencies, helped by cross-border sanctuaries and support networks, also weaken the host country’s sovereignty. The Afghan government’s contention that it does not have control over the region from where Pakistani militants operate is not very convincing. A similar argument was advanced by Pakistani authorities for not taking action against the Afghan Taliban leaders and fighters compromising the country’s authority.

The formation of a joint anti-terrorism policy is vital to the interests of not only the two countries but also the regional and global fight against the terrorist menace. Pakistan’s move to secure the borders and restrict illegal cross-border movement is understandable, given the serious security situation. But its efforts cannot succeed with the current state of tension with Afghanistan. It is also important to build trust between the people of the two countries because their destinies are intertwined and they must end this destructive war of sanctuaries.

The writer is an author and journalist.

zhussain100@yahoo.com

Twitter: @hidhussain

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2017
 
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whom are stopping Afghanistan to eradicate sanctuaries ? i.e RAW or NATO ?
Pakistan Already did it in Zarb-e-Azab. but here i am amazed why they (NDS,RAW) have failed, and keep on blaming Pakistan.
Afghans should sweep before their own door. Afghanistan should think about it what they Got with Indians Yet. and the answer is Nothing. only India achieved their goals by using Afghans against Pak.
 
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If there is known militant commander hiding in Pakistan, US can drone him off to hell. Pakistan must address Afghanistan concerns as well though most of the times they are just bluffing for the sake of it. There is hardly any drone strike inside Pakistan soil now which itself a testimony for everyone that, militants hideouts and their commanders are just not here anymore else US drone strikes, especially after Operation Zarb-Azb, would had never gone to 0 lately.
 
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If there is known militant commander hiding in Pakistan, US can drone him off to hell. Pakistan must address Afghanistan concerns as well though most of the times they are just bluffing for the sake of it. There is hardly any drone strike inside Pakistan soil now which itself a testimony for everyone that, militants hideouts and their commanders are just not here anymore else US drone strikes, especially after Operation Zarb-Azb, would had never gone to 0 lately.

Everyone knows that these terrorists are bred and nurtured across the border. Some Afghan refugees are recruited inside Pakistan. Anyone who is disputing this needs a brain surgery.

Time to get on with the job.

1. Identify the threat across the border and eliminate it;
2. Keep cleaning up domestically;
3. Kick out Afghans from Pakistan;
4. Close and monitor the border.

If we fail in any of these areas we will continue to see a rise in attacks. It is as simple as that. No rocket science here.
 
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This is an apples to oranges comparison.

The Afghan Taliban was once the legitimate government of Afghanistan --- during a time that Pakistan saw no suicide bombings and had a secure Western border.

The Afghan Taliban are also the future of Afghanistan, in some sort of power-sharing deal. There is no way that the Afghan Govt can somehow defeat them. Terrorist attacks aside, the Afghan Taliban control a lot of territory and have a parallel governance system (shadow governors, etc.) in many major Afghan provinces.

The TTP, on the other hand, is reduced to a few hundred (max) trained fighters who have nothing in Pakistan except some sleeper cells to commit horrendous acts of terror in which the majority of victims are innocent civilians.

If Pakistan is in deed sheltering / aiding the Afghan Taliban insurgency, it is doing so to enable a future where its soil and citizens are protected. Afghan intel is supporting TTP, which has no political scope or future, against Pakistan under some flawed idea of "revenge" in which innocents are suffering.
 
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Everyone knows that these terrorists are bred and nurtured across the border. Some Afghan refugees are recruited inside Pakistan. Anyone who is disputing this needs a brain surgery.

Time to get on with the job.

1. Identify the threat across the border and eliminate it;
2. Keep cleaning up domestically;
3. Kick out Afghans from Pakistan;
4. Close and monitor the border.

If we fail in any of these areas we will continue to see a rise in attacks. It is as simple as that. No rocket science here.

Yes in short, its time for real action rather than just words.
 
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This is an apples to oranges comparison.

The Afghan Taliban was once the legitimate government of Afghanistan --- during a time that Pakistan saw no suicide bombings and had a secure Western border.

The Afghan Taliban are also the future of Afghanistan, in some sort of power-sharing deal. There is no way that the Afghan Govt can somehow defeat them. Terrorist attacks aside, the Afghan Taliban control a lot of territory and have a parallel governance system (shadow governors, etc.) in many major Afghan provinces.

The TTP, on the other hand, is reduced to a few hundred (max) trained fighters who have nothing in Pakistan except some sleeper cells to commit horrendous acts of terror in which the majority of victims are innocent civilians.

If Pakistan is in deed sheltering / aiding the Afghan Taliban insurgency, it is doing so to enable a future where its soil and citizens are protected. Afghan intel is supporting TTP, which has no political scope or future, against Pakistan under some flawed idea of "revenge" in which innocents are suffering.

Bro, there is no future in opiumland. We need to quit the policy of supporting any group. Afghanistan is a failed venture. The Americans know it. The NATO countries know it. The Afghans themselves know it. It is a lost cause. It is too complicated. It is mired by tribal problems. This is not a country of this century. Close the border and let them deal with their own crap. We have sacrificed and paid the ultimate price.
 
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there is no peace till both the countries work together.. There is no good taliban ,if you guys think there are good ones ,we will promise to make them bad for you.its just a matter of time..

Afghanistan and Pakistan has to work together.

Bro, there is no future in opiumland. We need to quit the policy of supporting any group. Afghanistan is a failed venture. The Americans know it. The NATO countries know it. The Afghans themselves know it. It is a lost cause. It is too complicated. It is mired by tribal problems. This is not a country of this century. Close the border and let them deal with their own crap. We have sacrificed and paid the ultimate price.
Afghans and US believe they can defeat taliban if Pakistan stops supporting them...
 
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Bro, there is no future in opiumland. We need to quit the policy of supporting any group. Afghanistan is a failed venture. The Americans know it. The NATO countries know it. The Afghans themselves know it. It is a lost cause. It is too complicated. It is mired by tribal problems. This is not a country of this century. Close the border and let them deal with their own crap. We have sacrificed and paid the ultimate price.
Border will be re-open today...
sayed salahuddin‏@sayedsalahuddin 4h4 hours ago
Pakistan set to reopen borders with Afg. after nearly a week of closure, & shelling of eastern regions. hope high the move cud ease tension
 
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I think USA, Russia, China and India need to help Pakistan and Afghanistan get rid of these terrorist sanctuaries to maintain regional stability. India shouldn't look at CPEC as competition, in the long run everyone will see that chabahar port is more safer but if China is ready to get on board to de-link Pak from terror activities to propel CPEC, India should use this opportunity.
 
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I am sick and tired of this constant bickering. Just get into opiumland and destroy the hideouts. Close the border and kick out Afghans. Problem solved. Anyone who criticizes this policy can fvck off to India or Afghanistan. We are not in the mood of losing more innocent people.
Indian paid contents you were right. They are trying to taking advantage of every single moment. Imagin the amount of snitches they have and its not only here they have been conveying this msg thru media news papers talk shows to convience that pakistan is going to be China's colony they are going to be destroyed by the amount of load taking from china army doesnt want healthy democracy in Pak. army is corrupt aswell all these nonsence are here to divide Pakistanies.
when non of this $hit works some one will raise womens right and taking deen out of state or they make a debate that Pakistan or Quaid e Azam was secular.
These snitches we sud highlight them.
 
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I think USA, Russia, China and India need to help Pakistan and Afghanistan get rid of these terrorist sanctuaries to maintain regional stability. India shouldn't look at CPEC as competition, in the long run everyone will see that chabahar port is more safer but if China is ready to get on board to de-link Pak from terror activities to propel CPEC, India should use this opportunity.

Leave every thing. Please enlighten me how Chahbhar is more safer for china than CPEC while for that they need to cross whole afghanistan. :o:
 
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whom are stopping Afghanistan to eradicate sanctuaries ? i.e RAW or NATO ?
Pakistan Already did it in Zarb-e-Azab. but here i am amazed why they (NDS,RAW) have failed, and keep on blaming Pakistan.
Afghans should sweep before their own door. Afghanistan should think about it what they Got with Indians Yet. and the answer is Nothing. only India achieved their goals by using Afghans against Pak.


I agree that Afghanistan is being used as proxy. Afghanistan has nothing to gain from their strategy.

But Dear please enlighten me how Pakistan has benefited when PA supporting Taliban who have now turned against us and target poor Pakistani ?
 
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Bro, there is no future in opiumland. We need to quit the policy of supporting any group. Afghanistan is a failed venture. The Americans know it. The NATO countries know it. The Afghans themselves know it. It is a lost cause. It is too complicated. It is mired by tribal problems. This is not a country of this century. Close the border and let them deal with their own crap. We have sacrificed and paid the ultimate price.

Bro, I do agree with you.

The border cannot be "closed." It would be a multi-billion dollar effort. The US still gets illegal Mexicans and drugs despite their border, which doesn't even have the crazy terrain that ours does with Afghanistan. Yes, we definitely need to seal it --- or at least start investing toward this goal --- but it's easier said than done.

Now, let's assume you are correct --- let's assume Afghanistan is bound to be a wasteland of tribal feuds and opium addicts. Would you rather that NATO/India use this wasteland to destabilize you? Or would you rather that we back a group that will at least secure most areas along the border and not allow this to happen? Having the Afghan Taliban card to play means that our Western border is relatively secure --- and at least not being openly used by hostile agencies.
 
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Leave every thing. Please enlighten me how Chahbhar is more safer for china than CPEC while for that they need to cross whole afghanistan. :o:

Safer for european countries to get to India via Iran and via India to China and etc. I didn't say it was safer for China.
 
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