Al Mirsad, a publication aligned with the Afghan Taliban government, has recently released an article titled “Afghanistan’s Balanced Response to Pakistan’s Cowardly Actions.” This piece alleges that Pakistan has never succeeded in securing a decisive victory in any direct confrontation and instead relies on violence against innocent women and children to further political aims. Such assertions, however, reflect a one-dimensional depiction of Pakistan’s role in the region. A fair assessment requires a broader understanding of Pakistan’s enduring sacrifices, humanitarian endeavors, and diplomatic engagements, which remain largely overlooked.
First, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that Al Mirsad is an actor close to one of the parties, which has been publishing content that frequently ignores pertinent facts. By portraying Pakistan as an irrationally hostile neighbor the publication avoids engaging with pressing issues resulting from internal Afghan conditions, for instance, the conduct of terrorist operations in Afghanistan. Such biased representation do not include Pakistan’s war on terror, which has been going on for more than two decades and the country has paid significant price. Such oversights may be a sign of the manipulative, or even insincere intent of the subjects of the stories, Al Mirsad.
Over the last two decades, Pakistan has been a key ally in the global war on terrorism, battling the scourge of extremism within its borders and offering essential support for international military efforts in Afghanistan. The convergence of terrorist factions in Pakistan’s tribal areas, exacerbated by porous frontiers and inadequate resources, posed formidable obstacles. Despite these challenges, Pakistani security forces have demonstrated remarkable resolve in carrying out security operations designed to dismantle terrorist networks and reclaim territory from militant groups.
Among such actions, it is possible to speak about Operation Zarb-e-Azb that Pakistan started in 2014. To this end, the country wanted to clear militant sanctuaries over the tribal belt, which was quite successful in neutralizing several terror groups. In the same way, Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad continued it, continuing to sustain the mentioned operations by intertwining intelligence-based process, counter-terrorism operations, and clearance of extremism nests in the entire country. These continued processes have now led to operation of Azm-i-Istikam where Pakistan is once again assertively wedded to eradicate terrorism in its all forms. Thus, in recent years have local populations, who previously lived in fear of militants, gradually stabilized, and many are already beginning to restore homes and businesses.
The cost in human lives and resources for Pakistan cannot be overstated. More than 80 thousand people have been killed in bombing, shooting, terrorist attacks from 2001 in Pakistan included civilians, Law enforcement agencies and those who resisted terrorism. These sacrifices clearly provide evidence of how grave the situation has been managed in Pakistan with regard to terrorism hence discrediting the accusation by Al Mirsad that Pakistan has been engaging in cowardly acts. Every nation that participates in a military campaign against concrete dangerous adversaries loses lives but at the same time proves People’s concern by their readiness to protect them.
In addition, the local and international bodies have often hailed the importance of Pakistan in combating the terrorist organizations. It has been widely praised by the global leaders for its roles in neutralizing major terror networks and enhancing the security of the specific geographic area. Such acknowledgments go against any concoction that seeks to portray Pakistan’s main mission as relenting on innocent people. The question is that, Pakistan has tried to safeguard not only its own people but the people of the neighboring countries from any kind of militant activities. Long term cooperation, enhanced intelligence and counter terrorism operations have turned out to be vital ingredients in guaranteeing peace.
It will be remiss to speak of Pakistan and Afghanistan without considering the humanitarian aspect that marks one of the hallmarks of the Pakistani approach to engagement in the region. For forty years, Pakistan has had one of the largest refugee populations in the world, primarily from Afghanistan, who were seeking refuge from conflict in their country. It is on record that at a time Pakistan was hosting close to four million Afghan refugees a situation which had a heavy toll on the country in terms of resources and services. However, Pakistan went on offering necessities of life such as shelter, food, healthcare and educational facilities to these displaced people even as its own economy struggled.
It goes without saying that this generosity to Afghan refugees stands in sharp contradiction to the eschewed assertion about Pakistan’s true intentions of being a warmongering state only. This suggests that if the intention was to oppress ordinary Afghans, it does not make any sense to harbour millions of them for so long. In fact, a significant number of Afghans have spent their youth, got their education and are now able to start successful careers in major cities of Pakistan. Despite the fact that Torkham border with Afghanistan hosts a very large number of refugees some tensions and administrative issues are bound to arise, but Pakistan has always gone out of its way to ensure the refugees are well taken care off. While Pakistan boasts of its ability to provide assistance and support and condolences to the affected Afghan nation, this legacy of compassion proves that it rebukes the notion that Pakistan wants to bring harm to innocent Afghans.
More importantly, the Al Mirsad’s article does not give details that other militant groups, especially the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been given refuge in Afghanistan. These groups regularly organize incursions across the border and attack Pakistani military, civilians and installations. They can work from Afghan territory and they hinder formation of resultative relationships, they hinder development, and they make Pakistan increase measures in the borderline. Prolific hostility to minorities in Afghanistan is reciprocated by this unending confrontation between the two nations when the Afghan administration dawdles to end the brutality. However, Pakistan is ready to establish contact and build trust in an attempt to reach a healthy and safe Afghanistan.
Foreign policy wise Pakistan has always appealed for peaceful relations with its western neighbor. In the years past, Islamabad has mediated in talks between Afghan factions, has supported bringing in or taking out foreign forces, and has supported reconciliation within Afghanistan. Such measures are based on the assumption that the welfare of both countries rests with mutual understanding and realistic cooperation. Due to the presence of cells that hold extreme ideologies on either side of the border, defense of both countries is at risk; thus, Pakistan has encouraged bargaining to cut down the odds of a revival of conflict.
Besides, Pakistan has called for participation from the international community to facilitate peace processes because it realizes that these problems are complex and no state can address them individually. International conferences supporting regional dialogue, forums aimed at ending decades of instability in Afghanistan all indicate Pakistan’s constructive engagement contrary to chaotic scenarios offered by media outlets such Al Mirsad.
It becomes pertinent as to why Al Mirsad prefers to demonize Pakistan instead of addressing the large issue of security in Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban government to which the publication seems sympathetic has its own heavy responsibility for the state’s secession, rooting out militancy and ensuring that no such group exploits Afghani territory for its operations. What the publication’s article really paints is an unforgiving, aggressively acting Pakistan; this picture diverts attention from the domestic mis Obfuscation or poor performance by the government and other authorities.
Before the beginning of the so-called ‘War on terror’, Pakistan has invested billions of dollars into various developmental initiatives within Afghanistan over the last two decades. Some of these developments included infrastructural, school and health facilities developments. Critics who accuse Pakistan of undermining Afghanistan’s progress are unaware or unconcerned about such positive impacts of Pakistani people on Afghan reconstruction and development. Instead, Pakistan considers a stable, secure and economically developing Afghanistan as being in the interest of everyone in the region.
The readers with critical sense, should also note the undertone of ingratitude in many anti-Pakistan pronouncements which may be issuing from some factions within Afghanistan. Though they get shelter, livelihood, education and other opportunities in countries which they migrate to, some hearts do not seem to grateful for this humanitarian gestures, but will rather occupy their time in making merry over mere allegations. It right balances let alone such attitudes other than putting pressure on relations and stopping the efforts of achieving the coordination forever.
The Author, Muhammad Wasama Khalid is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in International Relations at the National Defense University (NDU). He has a profound interest in history, politics, and current affairs.
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