Neighbors see Afghanistan as fighting ring: Analysts

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Political analysts during a routine meeting of the Mahmood Tarzi Think Tank discussed political struggle between neighboring and some regional countries in Afghanistan. They said the neighboring countries should not see Afghanistan as their fighting ring and restrain from outwitting each other in the war-hit country. They further said that a stable Afghanistan was in the interest of neighboring and regional countries. Shah Hussain Murtazawi, an Afghan writer and journalist, said that if the neighbors want to invest on natural resources of Afghanistan, they should take practical steps to bring peace and stability in the country. “They shall also help Afghans in holding safe and transparent presidential and provincial councils; elections,” added Murtazawi. Ghaws Janbaz, another political expert, said that several spy agencies of different countries were active in Afghanistan and were in the quest to weaken the country. However, it will go against the interest of these countries that are playing double game with Kabul, due to geo-strategic location of Afghanistan. “Instability of Afghanistan will create challenges for them as well because it is in the heart of Asia,” said Janbaz. He said that there was need for national consensus to deal with Pakistan and make Islamabad to support the Afghan-led peace process. Sayed Masood, lecturer at the Faculty of Economics in Kabul University, termed the policy of neighbors against Afghans, and said that polices of the neighboring countries in Afghanistan was designed to achieve their own goals instead of helping Afghans. Pakistan became an atomic power in the region. Weakening of Afghanistan was Islamabad’s priority. Equal economic opportunity would end competition between the regional countries, she said, suggesting that the Afghan government should pave ground for investment and bring improvement in the policies necessary for growth of national economy. He said a policy regarding management of water resources between Afghanistan and its neighbors should also be carved out.