PROFESSOR ALI SUKHANVER–
The writer is a Pakistan based analyst on defence and strategic affairs.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President Karzai’s trip toIndiaduring the first week of this October was simply a part of the Indo-US campaign againstPakistanwhich has been in vogue for the last many months. During his visit toIndiaPresident Karzai did his best to play the role assigned to him by his god-fathers. His ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”marvelous performanceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in this regard would surely uplift and strengthen his status and stature in the eyes of the US authorities and would no doubt boost up his role as a tool in the present political system of Afghanistan .But at the same time if the Haqqanis are really playing in the hands of the ISI and Pakistan is playing a double game in dealing with extremists, Karzai will have to face more severe reaction from them.

By visitingIndia,Pakistan’s traditional foe, and by pleasing the Indian authorities with his hostile statements againstPakistan, Karzai must be now the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”hot favouriteƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ for the allegedly ISI sponsored Haqqani network. This other side of the picture would not be very much pleasing and encouraging for President Karzai. AccusingPakistanof nurturing the terrorists and patronizing the extremists has now become the most favourite hobby forUSA,Indiaand President Karzai. They have left no stone unturned to prove thatPakistanis responsible of creating unrest inAfghanistan.

The matter of fact is that in this blame game againstPakistan; Mr.Karzai is being exploited and misused by hisUSand Indian benefactors simply because of his innocence and weaker political understanding. He seems totally unaware of the gravity of his statements and negative impact of his words while talking aboutPakistan. It is a daylight fact that there could be no peace inAfghanistanwithoutPakistan.USAand the NATO forces one day will have to quit Afghan lands and the actual sons of the soil, the Pashtuns and the Afghans, would take hold ofAfghanistan. Apparently the Pashtuns and the Afghans have long standing historical type of cultural and political conflicts and differences with each other but in the larger interest of their country they could very easily join hands together against any kind of foreign oppression.

StrategicallyPakistanhas closer links and relations with the Pashtuns. The tribes living in southern Afghanistan, particularly between Herat and Kandahar and who speak Persian are called Afghans while others living in the rest of Afghanistan and PakistanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s NWFP and Baluchistan speaking Pashto language are called Pashtuns. These Pashtuns are in a clear majority inAfghanistan. According to a calculation provided by the CIA, the total population ofAfghanistanis more than 28,396,000. This population is a mixture of different ethnic and linguistic groups.

Pashto is spoken most widely in the south, east and south west as well as in westernPakistan. The Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group. Most of the Taliban also belong to the same ethnic group. The Pashtuns living along this side and that side of the Pak-Afghan border have close relations with one another. On the basis of their ethnic relationship the foreign invaders always rank them as representatives ofPakistan.

The drone attacks and the attackers in guise of Taliban inside thePakistanlands, both target none but the Pashtuns. Moreover by the people ofPakistan, the Pashtuns residing along the Pak-Afghan borders are considered the defenders ofPakistan. Just to weaken the defence line of Pakistan , India, USA and President Karzai, the rubber stamp,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  are doing their best to crush the Pashtuns in all possible manners but it is the writing on the wall that they would never succeed in their notorious plans.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ TheUSinvaders will have to say good-bye toAfghanistan, the Pashtuns would run the government in collaboration with the Afghans andIndiawould have to repent on her day-dreaming aboutAfghanistan; that is the actual story of tomorrow.

Unfortunately the Indian policy makers are living in foolsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ paradise. They think that by defamingPakistanand by propagatingPakistanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s so-called support to the extremists, they would succeed in concealing the sixty years long story of atrocities and human rights violation in the Indian heldKashmirwhere every new sun is destined to witness new stories of brutal cruelties.

Though Afghan president Mr.Karzai is of the opinion thatIndiacan play a vital role in bringing peace and prosperity in the South Asian region but the facts and realities are altogether otherwise.Indiais playing the worst possible role in painting a horrible picture of the South Asian region where there would never be even a tinge of peace and prosperity. Indian atrocities are not limited only to the human rights violation in Kashmir but also to the neighbouring countries likePakistan,China,NepalandSri Lanka. An American Congressional report says, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Indiahad been the top arms purchaser among developing countries in 2010 which shows it is in a state of war hysteria.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Another report recently published in the western media says thatIndiawould be acquiring six C-130 air-lifters for its air force as part of its strategy of spending $100 billion on defence in the next 10 years.

The same report says, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Indiais enlarging its airfield in Kargil to make it suitable for all types of military planes. Construction of a modern airfield means an attempt to gain mastery in high altitude warfare againstPakistan.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ More alarming is the news thatIndiawill also be holding war games alongPakistanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s border in near future. These war games are specifically formulated to capture enemyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s strategic assets and paralyzing its defence capability. The government ofPakistanmust review its soft approach and mild reactions to the ever-increasing Indian aggression.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Matters withIndiaseem impossible to be settled through negotiations and peace-talks. The government ofPakistanmust reconsider the state of affairs withIndia. A stern response to the Indian aggression would be in the larger benefit of not only the people ofPakistanbut also in the interest of Indian-held Kashmir andAfghanistan.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The writer is a Pakistan based analyst on defence and strategic affairs.