Pakistan fretful fo NATO exit from Afghanistan!!!

[Afghan_Soldier]

No exit from Kabul till peace prevails

Maqbool Malik
The Nation (Pakistan)
Publication Date : 07-06-2010

Pakistan has warned the European Union and its military arm NATO of revival of terrorism in the region if they leave the terror-crippled Afghanistan without establishing durable peace and stability.

Well-placed diplomatic sources informed The Nation that Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had been successful in securing guarantees from the NATO leadership that Western military alliance would not follow the US footprints in setting deadline for exit of its security forces from Afghanistan until and unless they finished their task there.

The sources informed that Gilani made it clear to the EU and NATO leadership that unless complete peace and stability were established, prematurely leaving Afghanistan would tantamount to repeating situation emerged in the post-withdrawal of Russian forces. The sources were of the view that these efforts had been launched after Islamabad’s frustration with Kabul’s dubious moves to reconcile with Afghan Taliban without taking Pakistan on board.

They said that Pakistan had also raised its concerns over Afghanistan’s reluctance to evolve some effective mechanism in checking illegal border movements through Pak-Afghan border to curb cross-border terrorism.

“More than 45,000 people cross the Pak-Afghan border every day which impacts not only Pakistan’s national security but also hampers efforts for establishment of durable peace and stability in the region,” a source informed.

Pakistan has demanded technical assistance from the European Union and NATO leaders in securing long and porous border with Afghanistan with state-of-the-art biometric systems.

Another concern that Pakistan has raised with the EU and NATO leaders, sources said, is the rampant flow of drugs from the neighbouring country, which many believed, is a major source of income for terror networks in the region. They were of the view that the aim Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts was to remind major powers involved in Afghanistan of their mandate to establish lasting peace and stability in the region.

[Afghan_Soldier]

I was expecting this. I swear, I exactly recall having a conversation with a friend on an afternoon while having lunch, that Afghanistan's and US/NATO's success will ultimately rest on when Pakistan's advantage turns in to its adversary, from a strategic perspective.

I am not sure if this means for the army too which would mean alteration in its strategic trajectory and major policy outlook.

[Afghan_Soldier]

What I meant was if the army is on the same page as the civilian govt. they sooner or later have to take on the Taliban and get rid of the menace.

[Afghan_Soldier]

This is the most interesting part for me: "The sources were of the view that these efforts had been launched after Islamabad’s frustration with Kabul’s dubious moves to reconcile with Afghan Taliban without taking Pakistan on board." So what does this mean then? Any ideas, people? Why no Afghanistan independently reconcile with those who Afghans!

[Afghan_Soldier]

Taliban leadership have left AfPak? When and how, and which leadership?



ISTANBUL: Pakistan's military operations in tribal areas have forced some important Taliban leaders to flee outside of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday.

Afghanistan-Pakistan relations had seen a “dramatic shift” since Pakistan returned to civilian-led democracy, Qureshi added after three-way talks with Turkey designed to help dispel years of mistrust between Kabul and Islamabad.

“(Taliban leaders) have fled the region because of very successful military operations Pakistan has undertaken in the tribal belt, in Swat and Malakand,” Qureshi told a joint news conference with his Afghan and Turkish counterparts in Istanbul after the meeting.

The United States is waiting for Pakistan to launch a military operation in the North Waziristan tribal region, home to the Haqqani faction, and other Taliban groups, and a known stomping ground for al Qaeda fighters.

A peace jirga -- a council of elders -- concluded in Kabul last week with a call for President Hamid Karzai's government to find a way to make peace with those Taliban who were not linked to al Qaeda or terrorist groups.
“My brother from Pakistan, the foreign minister, quoted full support for the peace process and Pakistan and Afghanistan will work together to achieve a peaceful solution to this conflict,” Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasul said when asked if the Taliban leadership was in Pakistan or Afghanistan.

Asked whether the Afghan government had given Pakistan any assurances over India's strong diplomatic presence and links with Afghanistan, developments which have sparked Pakistani fears of encirclement, Qureshi said a “different situation” now existed.

“Our political relations have improved in the last two years. There is greater sharing of intelligence taking place. There is greater understanding between the military leaderships of the two countries,” he said.
“So there is a different situation that we are looking at.” Both Pakistan and Afghanistan, who in the past have suspected each other of seeking to destabilise their governments, were now “seeing eye to eye on many issues and working in harmony”, according to Qureshi.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/...+af-pak--bi-01

[AfghanSoulja]

i think it might be cuz emirates is still offering low season tickets..and there's a celtics game on tuesday so ya know they cant miss that

[MazloomyarMaseed]

Pakistan finally woke up and realized a unstable Afghanistan means an Unstable Pakistan.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are dependent on each other.

Well....Pakistan has seen its more profitable to have NATO there, it gives Pakistan some kind of importance than being seen as a interantional Terrorist supporter.

Kind Regards

[BLS_1919v2.0]

Well....Pakistan has seen its more profitable to have NATO there, it gives Pakistan some kind of importance than being seen as a interantional Terrorist supporter.

Kind Regards

Also, remember the possible fall out from NATO withdrawal. Pakistan wants its place in the negotiations, and basically wants to put their security dilemma as part of the legitimate talks in the greater Afghanistan dialogue. Pakistan, imo, has shot itself in the foot, it has a weak civilian government, an intel agency and army that has one too many hands in the cookie jar and half of the country embroiled in conflict. We are not even counting the effect the global economic crisis is having and any shift in it (i.e. loss of the US dollar as the reserve currency) could have on Pakistan in the greater scheme of things. Allah u aalim.