IMRAN KHAN’S VISIT TO AFGHANISTAN AMIDST THE INTRA-AFGHAN DIALOGUE

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November 26, 2020
Sabeen Tariq
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Turning the Corner: Imran Khan’s visit to Afghanistan Amidst the Intra-Afghan Dialogue By: Sabeen Tariq Upon President Ashraf Ghani’s invitation, Prime Minister Imran Khan paid a visit to Kabul. The meetings between Mr. Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stayed polite and respectful, and both leaders reiterated their devotion to peace and stability in Afghanistan

Turning the Corner: Imran Khan’s visit to Afghanistan Amidst the Intra-Afghan Dialogue

By: Sabeen Tariq

Upon President Ashraf Ghani’s invitation, Prime Minister Imran Khan paid a visit to Kabul. The meetings between Mr. Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stayed polite and respectful, and both leaders reiterated their devotion to peace and stability in Afghanistan and improved their bilateral ties. During the meeting, PM Imran Khan reaffirmed that Afghanistan will have Pakistan’s full support to a peaceful and independent democratic of Afghanistan where he stated that if “Pakistan can help, let us know please”.

PM Imran Khan further added that war is no solution to a conflict in Afghanistan and that the only way forward for sustainable peace, stability and development in Afghanistan was through a negotiated political settlement. He stated that “The people and government of Pakistan have only one concern, and that is to establish peace in Afghanistan because the people of the country have suffered for four decades”. Similarly, President Ashraf Ghani stated that “All of us need to understand that resorting to violence is not the answer.”

PM Imran Khan was also called to take the requisite steps to mitigate violence, which leads to ceasefire in order to protect the lives of Afghanistan. Furthermore, the Prime Minister stressed that in the peace process, Pakistan will respect Afghan decisions. He also warned against anyone who might ruin the attempts for peace.

During the visit, the PM also discussed issues related to the Afghan transit trade where the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) which was signed in order to facilitate transit trade for Afghanistan and to provide gateway for Pakistan for the transit trade to Central Asia.

President Ghani also said that visiting Pakistan would be an honour for him. During the visit of the Prime Minister, Pakistan and Afghanistan also released a document entitled “Shared Vision between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to promote peace and stability in both countries and the wider region.” The Shared Vision aims to promote an upward political, economic and people-to-peoples cooperative relationship between the two countries.

A number of measures that both countries propose to take in the coming months have been outlined in the Shared Vision document, but specifics of various steps have not been shared. It was realized that neither nation, without peace and stability in the other, could achieve permanent peace and stability.

During the negotiations, both leaders have agreed to complete projects for infrastructure and electricity connectivity. The construction of new railroad projects between Pakistan and Afghanistan was also discussed. The Prime Minister also extended an invitation to President Ashraf Ghani to visit Pakistan.

It was held that by December 15, 2020, both sides will re-enforce joint intelligence to evaluate, map and coordinate against enemies of peace and those undermining the peace process. In the document, the ‘enemies’ and others have not been identified.

For the first time, the Afghan and Pakistan Intelligence Agencies will be operating side by side though the enemies of peace have not been undermined. Specifically, the document states, “Neither country’s territory should be used against the territory of the other for malicious purposes, and that both countries should work together to identify and tackle the enemies of peace, the irreconcilables, and those undermining the peace process.”

As Pakistan is playing a lead role in the peace process the document states, “The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will share with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan a summary of the key issues that are being discussed during the Afghanistan peace process”.

Imran Khan said that he had been preparing to visit Afghanistan for the past 50 years at least while thanking the Afghan government for inviting him. The PM said I am pleased that you have invited me to this historic city of Kabul, “We have historical links with your country.”

The visit of Imran Khan to Kabul is a historic and unprecedent visit and it marks a new era for the Pakistan Afghanistan relationship. The potential of the joint vision agreed upon envisages greater broader security and trade. It is a welcoming news for both countries in the region. A secure and prosperous Afghanistan is essential for Pakistan’s own national security.