Afghan Governnment and Taliban Issue Resolution - Steps and Challenges

Afghan Governnment and Taliban Issue Resolution - Steps and Challenges

Question - India’s neighbouring nations are making progress in dealing with militancy. Discuss the steps and challenges faced by the Afghan unity government in resolving issues with the Taliban.

Steps for Countering the Taliban

• Afghan unity government and the Taliban have come to an understanding in recent times in the following ways:

• The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that Pakistan will be given access to Tehreek-e-Taliban militants working from Afghan soil

• Afghanistan has also agreed to send army cadets to Pakistan for training and engage with the military of this nation

• An important determinant in influencing Afghanistan’s approach towards militancy is the attitude of China

• This Asian superpower is wary of terrorism on its soil via Pakistan and Afghanistan

• China also took the reins of leadership at the recent Heart of Asia conference institutionalising the trilateral dialogue between itself, Pakistan and Afghanistan

• Efforts are also being made to distance the Taliban from al Qaeda in Qatar in 2012; UN sanctions were recast in this context

• Pakistan’s stance has also changed as the military officials have revealed Taliban is ready for further talks

Challenges

• Ceasefire is the first major hurdle and until Taliban’s factions are on board, demands may or may not be resolved

• Moreover, it will also be important to work out methods to bypass current sanctions

• Eventual test is the signal from Taliban leadership and the degree of complexity of current power sharing discussions

• Combination of Taliban’s Sharia with current constitution will also be a challenging task

• The degree to which Pakistan will also be an unbiased mediator is critical as well as its relationship with the new unity government

Facts and Stats

India-Afghan relations

• Indian economic commitments will be impacted by Pakistan’s expanding role in Afghanistan specifically the 4 iron ore blocks and the steel plant in Hajigak
• Current P5+1/Iran talks and the integration of the latter with the global economy also holds the key to efforts in Afghanistan

About the Taliban

• This fundamentalist Islamic political movement in Afghanistan has spread to other nations as well

• It even formed the government with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001

• Taliban has gained recognition from 3 states namely Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and UAE so far