Page 46 - 31OCT2019E

column
ASIAN DRAMA
Syed
NooruzzamaN
The columnist — former
Deputy Editor of The
Tribune, Chandigarh —
specialises in foreign
affairs. With a career
spanning 41 years, he
keeps close watch on
issues related to South
Asian countries. The
views expressed are
personal
Tehelka / 31 october 2019 46 www.Tehelka.com
Afghanistan faces new
kind of uncertainty
The results of the just-concluded presidential elections are unlikely
to bring about peace and stability in the strife-torn country and help
it acquire the status of a peaceful law-abiding nation
fghanistan, which con- elements with the governance struc-
tinues to remain in the ture. The Taliban factions are, however,
news mostly for wrong not interested in holding any kind of
reasons, faces a new kind dialogue with the government, though
of uncertainty. Nobody it would be an elected one. They have,
A can say with certainty however, made it clear that they want
when exactly it will acquire the status the snapped peace dialogue with the US
of a peaceful law-abiding nation. The to be revived so that the foreign forces
results of the just-concluded presiden- stationed in Afghanistan leave for home,
tial elections, to be declared in the third allowing Afghanistan to be governed by
week of this month, are unlikely to bring Afghans without disguised or undis-
about peace and stability in the strife- guised US support.
torn country. India’s investments in Afghanistan
Both leading contestants for the will be best protected if the elected
post of President, incumbent head of government, whenever it is formed,
government Prof Ashraf Ghani and Dr remains in a commanding position
Abdullah Abdullah, are claiming vic- even after the Taliban factions become a
tory, but there are also chances of the part of it. Asharaf Ghani and Dr Abdul-
results showing a tie. In such a situation, lah Abdullah realise the importance of
a re-election will have to be held which India’s role in the task of rebuilding of
may not be possible till the months of Afghanistan.
extreme winter are over. This means The US, which has snapped the US-
the caretaker government of Ashraf Taliban dialogue process, has been little
Ghani will not be able to take any major bothered about India’s interests as it had
decision during this period which will agreed to keep New Delhi away from
only add to the chaos in that country. It’s the negotiations between the two sides
a different matter that the government’s with Pakistan allowed to play the role of
writ hardly runs beyond the country’s a major facilitator. Yet the dialogue was
capital, Kabul. a welcome development as the estab-
In case there is a clear winner, the lishment of peace in Afghanistan would
new government too will be there only have sent across South Asia and beyond
in name. The de facto rulers of Afghani- an encouraging message.
stan, the powerful Taliban factions, who The US decision to discontinue the
boycotted the elections, have declared peace talks with the Taliban was en-
that for them the new government, like tirely not surprising. The Donald Trump
the previous ones, will be a US puppet administration wanted the Taliban to
government. This means the Taliban’s cease fire and stop their suicide bomb-
attacks on the government’s interests ings during the peace negotiations,
will continue unabated. but the Afghan militants ignored the
President Ghani has stated that if he US plea. The militants insisted that this
came back to power again he would ex- could be done only after reaching an
tend a fresh offer of talks to the Taliban agreement. They gave an indication that
with a view to associating the militant violence was part of their bargaining