New Era In Afghanistan-Pakistan (AFPAK) Relations

Just couple of years ago nobody could ever imagine that the Pakistani premier intelligence service ISI and its Afghan counterpart would be working together to beat a foe created by the earlier in association with the American CIA during the "Cold War" era. Pakistan hosts the biggest ever Afghan refugee population around the globe and is termed the most hospitable nation for Afghan nationals in exile by the UNO surveys. However, the support Pakistan afforded to the Taliban and the repression by this ethnic religious extremist organization against the Northern Afghan and Hazara  population caused a huge backlash and resentment among Afghans directed at their neighbours, Pakistan. India in their traditional rivalry with Pakistan, exploited this resentment of Afghan population and spared no efforts in post 9/11 Afghanistan to further broaden this lack of trust between both nations, in particular between AFPAK security institutions.    

With the Elections of Ashraf Ghani as President of Afghanistan and change of guard at the Pakistani security establishment, the overdue realization was finally met by both neighbouring countries that it is naturally convenient for them to work together for the peace and prosperity of their indigenous populations. Any outside or inside impartial observer would note that the strategic interests of both these countries are best served in working together as partners. This however, required a major shift in the thinking patterns and re-alignment of priorities by the security apparatuses of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The deal of cooperation between both countries powerful intelligence outfits signifies the agreement on this re-alignment of priorities and opens a new chapter in the history of bilateral cooperation between both the Muslim States.

BONE OF CONTENTION

Its not an easy bargain for either of the countries intelligence arms. Pakistani ISI in response to this alliance needs to keep a tight leash on the Afghan Taliban who have been their traditional allies. They need to force them to reconcile with the Kabul government and reach a workable power sharing and governance model/agreement with them. Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) also needs to choke the logistics support of Afghan Taliban from the Pakistani side and work in cooperation with Afghan National Intelligence Directorate in sorting out a permanent peace accord between the Afghan government and the Taliban through open and clandestine maneuvering. Easier said then done, the job of Afghan intelligence and security apparatus is no less daunting. They would have to target the Indian funded Pakistani Taliban mercenaries operating from the Afghan soil in a u-turn to their previous policies which was in support of the Indian intelligence agency RAW. Its not only a stab in the heart of Indian intelligence designs to isolate and destroy Pakistan, but also a major defeat in a war they funded with billions of Indian tax payers money. This makes it all the more difficult for the Afghans who were being heavily funded through these Indian designs against Pakistan seeking regional hegemony for themselves. Besides the capacity of Afghan National Army to take on the Pakistani Taliban mercenaries is also a question bothering many across the border. Its a new path both neighbours are embarking upon which is filled with more thorns, less petals. 

Having said all that, under a genuine sincere partnership of both Afghan and Pakistani security and political leadership forged upon natural alliance of shared strategic interests, all above is highly achievable. Keeping in view the "shared rich cultural history" between both countries less the animosity over the Pakistani support to Taliban under the compulsions of their past security doctrines of strategic depth, and the resultant Afghan shift towards India aside, the deal of cooperation between both the neghbouring countries is naturally sealed. Afghanistan being a land locked country, depends on the easiest direct trading route to the international seas via Pakistan. Pakistan obliges Afghanistan by providing this transit facility historically, but fails to make use of the goodwill created thus by supporting proxies like the Afghan Taliban. This scenario is changing fast under the present arrangements between the powerful spy agencies of both countries. Pakistani security establishment realizes that their past policy of supporting the Taliban proxies forced the government in Kabul to tilt towards the enemies of Pakistani State in last couple of decades. This in turn fueled the fire of terrorism at Pakistani mainland through the international ideological mercenaries funded by the said enemies of Pakistani State operating from the Afghan soil.

This dramatic change of stance also signifies a large shift in the Pakistani thinking, where they feared that the planned 2014 US withdrawal from Afghanistan would plunge that country back into a civil war. This would have left Pakistan to deal with Taliban again as a recognized military force at Afghanistan to deal with. The Karzai regime was largely seen as a US puppet at Afghanistan only controlling parts of the country, that too with the US/ISAF military support. Although nothing much has changed in that perception, but the transition of power at Kabul and the change in Pakistani security dynamics under General Raheel Sharif, the new all powerful Army Chief arose a desire in Pakistan to support the moderate Kabul regime over the religious extremist Taliban. Pakistan hurts badly due to the menace of religious intolerance and extremism. Thus, under the stewardship of General Raheel, Pakistan embarked upon the journey of moderation and tolerance through strict laws against the hate mongers domestically and mending relations with estranged past international allies.

The Afghanistan-Pakistan alliance in the offing, reaching its full potential will surely benefit from the dream of the revival of the old Silk route. Afghanistan can be naturally linked to the new silk route via Pakistan and Central Asia and become the part of the plans laid out by the Chinese for revival of trade and commerce in Euro-Asia. The Chinese are willing to invest in the infrastructure of the trade routes connecting Asia pacific with Central Asia, EU and Russia through the land routes.
This partnership between both countries can only benefit the population living in the complete region ushering them into an era of peace and prosperity.