Islamabad, 11 January: Afghanistan’s future depends on the country’s relations with Pakistan and on American and international help, as per the Washington-based US Institute of Peace (USIP).
As per the USIP research, Pakistan’s ties to the Taliban government will serve to define Afghanistan’s future. Afghanistan got extensively studied in USIP reports in 2021.
“Afghanistan’s economic catastrophe cannot be stopped just by humanitarian assistance as per the findings. Maintaining good relations with Islamabad can further peace and progress,” the document stated.
Pakistan’s involvement is substantial because of Pakistan’s prior strong relations with the Taliban, which is a critical element in determining Afghanistan’s outlook under the Taliban government.
The assistance that the United States and its allies provide Afghanistan government will also be very crucial in determining the future. Another noteworthy aspect in figuring out the future of Afghanistan is the level of support the Taliban receives from other countries, particularly Pakistan, stressed the author of the USIP report Elizabeth Threlkeld.
The analysis warns that historical concerns, grievances, and disputes between Pakistan and Afghanistan show negative and opposite consequences if not resolved, which the report considers a lot more probable prediction.
As Threlkeld puts it, “Afghanistan and Pakistan, at present, stand the best prospect of growing on existing cross-border relations for the sake of regional stability and the well-being of their populations.” Clashes between Pakistani border security personnel and Taliban militant groups in recent weeks show that the current Afghan government is unwilling to accept international border fencing to secure its territory, as it has been in the past.
Pakistan plans to set up a border fence to prevent cross-border terrorism and terrorist migration. According to the USIP assessment, the major sources of friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan will be issues of sovereignty, security, geopolitical dynamics, cross-border links, connectivity, and trade. These dynamics will shape Afghanistan’s and the South Asian region’s future together.
