To appease Afghan, Taliban itself to play the pivotal role as it has already overrun Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, sooner than originally thought by US intelligence assessment. Taliban has already declared – “The war is over and it’s time for Reconstruction”. Though the power struggle still ongoing, it is apparent that Taliban will grab the whole or will move for power sharing move with political one. As global power players are eyeing on Afghan’s throne, transforming from militant outfit to political persona, Taliban must need recognition from them.
Grown-up Taliban drawing its plan far better than of early 90’s. It’s meeting with China, Russia and Iran proves preplanned power planning agenda. After snatching Kabul, a meeting in Doha is ongoing to depict future Afghanistan under Taliban regime among the Taliban leaders.
“About international relationship, it is our policy to have co-operation with all countries of the world. Now a new chapter has opened, that is the construction of the country, economic development of the people, a chapter of peace among all countries, especially our nearby countries. We need cooperation from other countries. Our intention is to rebuild the country and that cannot be done without the cooperation of other countries,”-Uttered by Taliban spokesman, Shaheen Suhail, in a recent exclusive conversation with CNN-News18.
China, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran have already shown their interest to have quality relation with Taliban. US urged Taliban to uphold Human along Women’s Right and cut ties with militant outfit as conditions to prevail them.
China intended to have “Friendly Relation” with Taliban and unlike USA, declared not to withdraw its embassy from Kabul while keeping its citizens on Afghan’s soil demonstrating China’s confidence over Taliban’s commitment.
On July last meeting with top Taliban delegation, China reiterated, Afghan Taliban will make a clear break with all terrorist organizations including ETIM (East Turkistan Islamic Movement) an UN-designated terrorist group which considered as “direct threat to China’s national security” has blamed for bloody attacks in the region that claimed hundreds of lives in the past decade within and outside China including recent Dasu bus attack in Pakistan.
Cutting tie with ETIM, Taliban could seize China’s tottering recognition as a “genuine political force”, grab abundant investment in the war-torn country’s devastated infrastructure and potential inclusion in China’s Trillion Dollar connectivity plan BRI (Belt and Road Initiative).
Pakistan, who is thought to be a salient player to ensure peace in Afghanistan is paying a price for the Taliban’s unwillingness to crack down with cross border militant groups namely Al-Quade, ETIM or TTP. Soon after the July 14 Dasu bus attack committed by ETIM sheltered in Afghan soil, Beijing postponed a high-level joint committee meeting for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Pakistan and halted work on the $1 billion Dasu hydropower project.
China, Pakistan and Afghanistan had already agreed to extend the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into landlock Afghanistan that can unfold enormous business potential for the nation.
India, though have cool stands with former Ghani Government but has a huge invest commitment amounting $3 billion for reconstruction as commitment by Modi Government during visit to Afghanistan in 2016.
Another key potential hub is Chabahar port, which believed to be the best and economical transit route into Afghanistan and Central Asian countries initiated by India-Iran and Afghanistan. This port can be another door step for international trade.
But Recent Taliban attack on the India-built Salma Dam known as “Afghan-India Friendship Dam’’ in Afghanistan’s Herat province, the third such assault since last month on the nearly $300 million structure that provides water to several districts in the region will surely tear down Taliban’s image to India.
But Taliban spoke person’s recent quotation mentioning India is – “I hope they (India) will also change their policies because earlier they were siding with the regime government, which was imposed. It would be good for both sides, for the people of India and Afghanistan’’, Which will surely impose a new hope.
Taliban reiterated their previous promise of never allowing any force to use the Afghan territory to endanger any other country and declared that- a moderate rather than extreme ideology will stick to run the nation. But breaking promise will prevail peace in entire region that could be prudently solved by cutting ties with cross border militant groups and reform extreme ideology.
Resourceful Afghanistan reportedly has the world’s largest unexploited reserves of copper, coal, iron, gas, cobalt, mercury, gold, lithium and thorium, valued at over US$1 trillion but with 65% unemployment rate and 47.3% poverty, should focus on its rich but unplanned resource extraction and national integration. China might appease FDI appetite of changing Afghanistan along with India who is also a promising partner. Iran and Pakistan will pave the way to move towards outer business world by assuring port facility.
In broad sense, Taliban has seen to be interested in re-establishing and consolidating its own rule in Afghanistan and has never shown interest in pursuing a regional agenda. Sheltering Foreign Militant with transnational agenda could turn neighboring powers like China, Russia, Iran, India or Pakistan against them.
While in power, Taliban will be in no longer need for foreign fighters to fight with Afghan government rather need foreign friends to secure foreign aid and investment.
It is high time for Taliban to reform its ideology and cut relations with regional terror or militant groups like ETIM, al-Qaeda or TTP, if they want to be recognized on the international stage and play de facto role in peace, stability and development of Afghanistan to redeem the hope of scuffling Afghan people.
