Senior Afghan politician makes it clear: government's formation in Afghanistan on outsiders' dictation not possible

A senior Afghan politician on Friday ruled out the possibility that the future Afghan government will be formed on dictation by others, saying that a friendly government in Kabul is possible, but opting for an obedient set-up is just a wishful thinking.

Humayun Shah Asefi, a former candidate for vice president in Afghanistan 2009 presidential elections, while sharing his views in a public panel discussion titled "Is political solution with the Taliban possible?" was confident of a political solution to Afghan dispute, as everybody recognises that defeating Taliban was not an easy task.

The discussion was organised by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (HBS) with the help of German Foreign Office on the occasion of Pakistan-Germany-Afghanistan media dialogue in which ANP's Senator Afrasyab Khattak, PML-N's Danyal Aziz, MQM's Faisal Sabzwari and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Maulana Tahir Ashrafi presented their view points.

"I think it must be very clear to everyone...a friendly government in Afghanistan is possible but an obedient government [as a result of reconciliation process] is just a wishful thinking," Asefi said, adding that it is high time that everybody should realise their past mistakes and recognise Afghanistan as an independent and a sovereign state. The Afghan politician did not name any country but he was apparently pointing towards Pakistan, as he seems backing the opinion of ANP's Afarasyab Khattak who opined that solution to Afghan conflict was possible if Pakistan decides that there will be no influence on Afghan to decide about their future and accepts Afghanistan as an independent and sovereign state.

Asefi further ruled out any possibility of Taliban to regain powers after withdrawal of the US troops, saying that things have changed tremendously and majority of Afghans that come from the young generation are against the Talibanization. He said that for Afghans, Pakistan is an important country and similarly Afghanistan is that important for Pakistan but both the countries need to remove misunderstanding and trust deficit by increasing people-to-people contacts and exchange of delegations of politicians and media from both the sides.

Afrasyab Khattak was of the opinion it is in Pakistan's interest to revisit Zia's policies especially towards Afghanistan which according to him failed. "We've to accept that Afghanistan is a sovereign and independent country," he said, adding that it is time for the government of Pakistan to demonstrate wisdom. He also contradicted the argument that Taliban could not be defeated in Afghanistan, saying "if some Taliban are living in Islamabad how can they be defeated in Kabul?" He said that Afghanistan needs an inclusive solution after an intra-Afghan consultation but not an imposed one by anyone else.

Referring to the border management, he said that the real issue between the two countries was not the border management but sourcing out the border [Pak-Afghan border] to the militants is the real problem. Maulana Tahir Ashrafi said that dialogue was the only solution to bring peace both in Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that currently there seems no door is open for talks as Taliban's Qatar office has been closed and Saudi Arabia is also not willing to play its due role. He said that things could become better if Pakistan stops considering Afghanistan as its fifth province and Afghanistan refrains from treating Pakistan as India. Ashrafi challenged those who think Taliban Chief Mullah Omer is somewhere inside Pakistan, saying that neither Mullah Omer came to Pakistan after 2000 nor there exists any Quetta Shura.

Referring to the recent killing of Jalaluddin Haqqani's son Nasiruddin Haqqani in Barakahu area of Islamabad, he said that Nasiruddin had a refugee card issued by the UNHCR and he had been travelling to various Western counties and most recently he returned from an Arab country before he was killed.

To a question, he said that Pakistan is not under the US occupation and "if the US occupied Pakistan we will do the same what Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Omer is doing in Afghanistan". Faisal Subzwari said that it should be Pakistan's top priority to find solution to its own problems and must invest on its own people. Danyal Aziz, while sharing his opinion said that blaming Pakistan's policy for the problems was not a solution, saying the issue is more global.