In early 1970s, a Captain from the Afghan Army attending Junior Command Course in MHOW had this to say about Pakistan, “You attack them from the front and we will take her from the rear – that is the only solution.” What changes such sentiment would have undergone over the years with Pakistan intensifying its viper hatcheries through regular overdoses of radicalized Viagra is not difficult to guess. The reality of the situation is apparent through the statement of General Sher Mohammad Karimi, Afghan Army Chief telling BBC Hardtalk that fighting in Afghanistan could be stopped “in weeks” if Pakistan told the Taliban to end the insurgency, and that Pakistan controlled and gave shelter to Taliban leaders, deliberately unleashing fighters on Afghanistan.

“The Taliban are under [Pakistan’s] control – the leadership is in Pakistan.”

Naturally, as always, Pakistan denies this and the US believes it unbelievingly. If the Obama administration refused to act on US and NATO commanders in Afghanistan stating GWOT was being fought on the wrong side of the Pakistan-Afghan border, then who really is General Karimi though Karimi qualified his statement further by saying, “The Taliban are under [Pakistan’s] control – the leadership is in Pakistan.” Little doubts this is the handle Pakistan has over the US that deters the latter to play universal policeman in AfPak region though it has no compunctions in bombing Syria.

Failing to defeat the Taliban over more than a decade, no guessing why the US is happy with opening of the Taliban office in Doha and more than thrilled with the Pakistani Taliban office in Syria, with Pakistani-Qatari support adding to the mayhem in Syria. Then is the façade of Afghan peace talks when the Taliban refuse to recognize the Afghan Constitution, refuse to shun arms and violence in name of jihad and want an Islamic Caliphate.

“There is a higher probability of General Kayani converting to Hinduism than there is of the Haqqani Network ever being decoupled from Al Qaeda”.

Yet, the US is playing ball to Pakistan on the googly bowled by Kayani that even Haqqanis will be willing to split from and denounce Al Qaeda, the probability of which was aptly described by Michael Hughes by saying, “There is a higher probability of General Kayani converting to Hinduism than there is of the Haqqani Network ever being decoupled from Al Qaeda”. Yet, the US is not only prepared to side with Pakistan and illegitimate Pakistani interests in Afghanistan but ready to accept Taliban control in areas of Afghanistan, which would facilitate Pakistan expand her viper hatcheries westwards giving free run to her proxies in newfound AfPak sanctuaries. This is aptly described by Robert Kaplan in his book ‘The Revenge of Geography’ wherein he writes, “This would, in effect, a greater Pakistan, giving Pakistan’s ISI the ability to create a clandestine empire composed of the likes of Jallaluddin Haqqani, Gulbuddin Hekmetyar, and the Lashkar-e-Taiba ….”.

Post 2014, even if the US continues to operate drones, Special Forces and leaves training personnel behind in Afghanistan (all of which are doubtful), it is very much on the cards that the US will continue to support Pakistani illegitimate interests at the cost of the Afghanistan. It is not without reason that the Afghan’s feel cut up that having lorded over their country for over a decade, the US is now subcontracting Afghanistan to Pakistan despite latter being the bane of all their problems. In such backdrop, what would be the state of mind of President Karzai visiting Pakistan under pressure from the US for so called peace talks, even as some Pakistanis have no hesitation in stating unofficially that Karzai has outlived his utility for the US and Pakistan and may even suffer the same fate as Najibullah post US withdrawal.

Despite President Karzai having extended his visit to Pakistan by one day, there was no breakthroughs as such, which was expected. Two bilateral agreements were signed boosting cooperation on a number of issues including trade and communications but the basic issues related to stability of Afghanistan post 2014 remained unaddressed. Karzai’s main purpose to discuss ways to break the deadlock between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban over reconciliation peace talks was a non starter though Nawaz Sharif said he would help persuade the Taliban to move its political office from Qatar to either Saudi Arabia or Turkey, which hardly would alter the ground situation, attitude of Taliban and indication of Pakistani desire to help in stability of Afghanistan. Most significantly, no specific statements were made concerning Taliban prisoner releases or insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan, two key items that President Karzai Pakistani support. So, Afghan Taliban leadership remains in firm grip of Pakistan.

What Pakistan is doing to Afghanistan, she is doing to India in much greater measure.

What Pakistan is doing to Afghanistan, she is doing to India in much greater measure. The so called peace dove Nawaz Sharif unmasked himself on 19 August 2013 by stating categorically that Kashmir is a National Issue and the Jugular Vein of Pakistan; meaning, no power on earth can dissuade Pakistan from the path of liberating Kashmir and annexing it. Nawaz Sharif’s constituency Pakistani Punjab, officially doles out millions in financial aid to terrorist organizations, jaundiced Mullah Hafiz Saeed aided by flunky Hamid Gul and with official support holds open anti-India rallies threatening India with 9/11 type attacks, not only are Pakistani sponsored terror attacks continuing, the process of ethnic cleansing has been put in motion in Kishtwar region of J&K that would have far reaching repercussions, not to talk of regular breaching of ceasefire agreement, infiltration and cross border raids. Concurrent to all this, come sweeteners like the indication that Pakistan may accord the MFN status to India, years after India did so. Note recent Afghanistan-Pakistan bilateral agreements on trade and communications signed during President Karzai’s visit, which matter little when Pakistan continues on the path of terrorism albeit denying every act despite conclusive proof, harping she is a victim of terror herself – skunk smelling its own putrid releases!

What India and Afghanistan need to do is enhance the bilateral strategic partnership particularly in the fields of defence and security.

Unfortunately, utopian Indian politicians bend backwards on mere suggestion of peace talks under US pressure, though this is certainly not the time. Not only is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meeting Nawaz Sharif now despite the mild statement that Pakistan must address India’s terror related concerns but Salman Khurshid is meeting his counterpart coming Friday to chalk out the schedule of a full-fledged official meeting between Manamohan and Sharif, that ostensibly will likely include electrification of Manmohan’s native village in Pakistan with electricity from India. That Pakistan will concurrently put up a display of hostility along the line of control can well be expected. Our armchair utopians should have actually waited for some concrete pointers from Pakistan like making the Pakistani military subordinate to civilian authority, bringing the ISI under Ministry of Interior and under Parliamentary overview, punishing perpetrators of 26/11 plotters, shutting down the Karachi Project, shutting down anti-India terrorist camps in POK and Pakistan, muzzling likes of Hafiz Saeed etc rather than getting enamored with MFN status and liberalization of visas. Cosmetic overtures of peace and tactical pause in terrorist activities are must be taken with a pinch of salt. Getting lulled into fake peace overtures would be a vital strategic error.

What India and Afghanistan need to do is enhance the bilateral strategic partnership particularly in the fields of defence and security. Pakistan understands nothing better than power as it continues to optimize her unconventional strength through irregular forces. Against India, Pakistan’s well articulated 1000 cut policy has been implemented for past several years. Afghanistan has already suffered the reign of Pakistan supported Taliban rule for a decade and the Northern Alliance has even fought Pakistani military disguised as Taliban, air evacuation of some of whom was facilitated by the US from Kondus and Khost during the US invasion. What may happen post 2014 in Afghanistan depends on the intentions of the US, Pakistan and Taliban but misadventures by Pakistan against both Afghanistan and India can hardly be ruled out. It would be prudent for both India and Afghanistan to keep their powder dry. Any misadventure should be given a befitting response, at least wiping out her viper hatcheries. What the young Afghan Captain said in 1970s continues to remain relevant.