The general observation by analysts and commentators on Pakistan’s unique civil-military dynamic will take you to the famous saying, “Most countries have an army, but Pakistan’s army has a country,” but things have gotten worse, and now, after suppressing its people, mostly Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, and detaining its leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan for several months, Rawalpindi is threatening Afghanistan for its own failures and decades of wrongdoings in the tribal areas, also known as former FATA.
Pakistan’s deep state is now badly exposed to the world and especially to the people of Afghanistan in the way it is exerting pressure on a regime in Kabul that has no legitimacy and is denied diplomatic ties, proper communication, and established economic and political relationships with the regional countries and the world.
The Pakistani military has started this game by expelling Afghan refugees from Pakistan in the worst humanitarian manner; people who had lived in Pakistan for decades were suddenly asked to leave on short notice for their home country, where a 20-year conflict has just concluded with an unknown future.
There was an illicit mindset behind the immediate and quick expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan; it was purely Pakistan’s military decision, and the politicians had no knowledge of the situation. Pakistan wanted to add to the political issues and socio-economic problems of Afghanistan so that it would be in a more suitable position to make their demands accepted. Pakistan in the past gave flexible deadlines to Afghan refugees and even extended them, but this time when Afghan refugees really needed mercy and more time to make decisions, the Pakistani deep state made odd decisions and exposed its real face.
On national and international stages, Pakistan always repeatedly stated that it hosted Afghan refugees for decades, and now they were involved in the destabilization of Pakistan and provided safe havens to terrorist groups, which is totally wrong and far from reality.
The fact is that Afghan refugees never received any assistance from any Pakistani government institutions. Afghan refugees received international aid; they were the supporters of different political parties who had their own resources of funding through which they helped build infrastructure, schools, and hospitals in Pakistan. In addition, many Afghan refugees travelled abroad for work and sent their remittances to Pakistan to support their families.
The second major pressure tool that Pakistan’s deep state has used against Afghanistan and the current Taliban regime is the blame game of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the presence of TTP personnel or leadership in Afghanistan.
One has to understand that TTP and the Afghan Taliban are the two faces of one coin from an ideological perspective. Another point is that TTP has its own history of inception, and the factors that resulted in the emergence of this group are in Pakistan, and to be more clear, it was the Pakistani military that helped create this group after committing heinous crimes and humanitarian abuses during military operations in FATA.
Interesting point is that the Pakistani military and political leadership are not on one page when it comes to dealing with TTP and other insurgent groups;An interesting one day they talk about negotiations with them, and another day they refuse talks and resolve to eliminate the group through force.
TTP and Afghan Taliban are ideological allies, they Taliban may not directly support them but they will have sympathy with them, Afghan Taliban may not encourage them to carry out attacks in Pakistan but they would protect them inside Afghanistan, this is something that Pakistan knew from day one but Rawalpindi would prefer to keep the situation flouting in the same manner because the issue of terrorism which is an income source for Pakistani generals would remain alive, keep Afghan regime under pressure, hamper greater economic connectivity and prosperity of the region and most importantly Pakistani military would maintain its superiority on its people by showing to them that not only India but Afghanistan is also posing threat for its national security and this would provide the military upper hand on political leadership.
Pakistan is a developing country, and its military and intelligence have ruled the country for decades. It is deeply involved in the internal and external politics of the country, so how is it possible that thousands of TTP and BLA fighters have been threatening this country for decades and the powerful military that ranks among the top forces worldwide is unable to eliminate them?
Neutralization of these elements is not a difficult task for Pakistan, and it deliberately allowed them to exist in order to achieve certain goals that could not be achieved through political means.
For example, for decades Panjabis in Pakistan have exploited natural resources of the Pakhtonkhawa and Balochistan provinces, and the people of these areas have remained backward and deprived.
Now it is time for the people of Pakistan to raise their voices against a military that suppressed them and spread terrorism and horror in the region. The Pakistani establishment, which is badly exposed, is an obstacle in the way of regional development and the development of Pakistani people.
Note: The article is the writer’s personal observation of ongoing regional situation. Nizamuddin Hamidi, writer and English news editor and studied political science and international relations.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect Wesal TV’s editorial policy.
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