Karzai Outbursts and Afghan Politics

Karzai Outbursts and Afghan Politics

Current Afghan govt should reconcile, not inflame

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has started saying strange things, not for the first time, but this time these appear very calculated – albeit untimely for cross border relations. With a caretaker government in place in Pakistan and all political parties campaigning, Karzai has chosen to call on the “Taliban to attack external enemies” (read: Pakistan) and spoken of rekindling the Durand Line border dispute with Pakistan. Experts and political opponents have pointed to these as attempts by Karzai to extend his tenure – by hook or by crook – as his second and last constitutionally mandated term is set to come to an end in 2014.

The withdrawal of US troops appears to be all the more reason to make Afghanistan appear a goldmine to the current Afghan president – against whose office the New York Times only recently published allegations that the CIA “dumps bags of money” there. The question of who all shall contest the next presidential elections is being asked and the name of former foreign minister – and now Karzai opponent – Abdullah Abdullah has been propped up. But Abdullah does not believe Karzai will step down without a fight — despite the constitutional bar on him. If Abdullah’s suggestion that, “the president’s best option is to create an emergency security situation so everyone says ‘under these circumstances how can we have elections?” is true, then Karzai’s recent rants against Pakistan appear to fit. What has been heartening is to see the coalition parties in Afghanistan come out with a strong criticism of Karzai’s remarks on the Durand Line. “If Karzai was quiet about the Durand Line for the last decade, why has he chosen to speak at the end of the term?” is the question they have asked – and rightly so.

Karzai appears to want to cast himself as a ‘hero’ to the Afghan people, at a time when a statesman is required. There is nothing to be gained from slogan mongering – claims that Pakistan moved 11 outposts to the Goshta district near the Durand Line, “distributed Pakistani identity cards” and that Afghanistan has “never recognised the Durand Line” could spark unnecessary conflict between two countries facing the same threat: the Taliban. The next Afghan election will be as important for the future of the region as the current general election in Pakistan. A new political landscape could be carved out between the two neighbours in 2014, and the task of the current Afghan government should be to ensure that the next governments have a smooth playing field. President Karzai needs to be told to restrain himself – or he risks further antagonizing the tense relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Border clashes like the recent one are a part and parcel of the reconciliation process, they need not become more than that.

- See more at: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013....rTgXEPez.dpuf