Senior officials confirmed on Monday that Pakistan has decided to shelve the Afghanistan Peace Conference because of the Afghan government’s unreasonable attitude towards Islamabad. The conference was initially planned to be held from July 17 to 19 to give a fresh impetus to the stalled peace talks, and to provide the Afghan leadership to put forth their demands and expectations vis-à -vis Pakistan in a conducive environment. However, it is now evident that the Ghani administration is in no mood for constructive dialogue, therefore it makes little sense for Pakistan to convene such a conference.
There has been a concerted effort in recent months to malign Pakistan through fake news, and members of the Afghan government and media have fabricated rumours and developments out of thin air. Be it the bizarre claim that 10,000 jihadis from Pakistan had infiltrated Afghanistan, or the fake news about Pakistani security forces preventing the ANSF from conducting air strikes close to the border, these preposterous allegations are part of an effort to poison bilateral ties between the two neighbours. The plain truth is that the Ghani administration is unable to cope with the onslaught on the battlefield, and it has now resigned itself to blaming external forces for its failures.
The desperation is now palpable as on Monday, President Ghani blamed the US for a hasty pullout which caused violence to worsen in Afghanistan. While it is true that the US should have planned the withdrawal more responsibly given the complexities on the ground, this claim from Kabul is insincere considering how there is no self-reflection of where the Afghan government has faltered during the peace process.
Meanwhile, Pakistan must continue pushing back against any kind of false assertions to set the narrative straight. Islamabad has made a concerted effort to facilitate the process since the talks commenced and should continue doing so. The international community is now acknowledging Pakistan’s stance that there is no military solution to the Afghan problem. Pakistani officials have reiterated time and again that there are no favourites in Afghanistan, regardless of the false propaganda claiming otherwise. Instead of engaging in unhelpful rhetoric, the primary goal of bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan must be pursued with a singular focus.
Published in Thenation on 4th August 2021​