By: Prof. Abdul Shakoor shah
The US in alliance with cronies has sanctioned Afghanistan, instead of supporting them. Lack of democracy in the Taliban government cannot be presented as validation of sanctions as it is maiden democracy. These groundless pretexts cannot lead Afghans to a dark alley. Even a lay man knows if Taliban had been so much undemocratic then why was it paramount to deal with Taliban? Why was a direct peace deal signed with the Taliban for safe exit from undemocratic land? If the Taliban had been so cruel, ruthless and undemocratic why the U.S and allies handed over the government to Taliban? The U.S backed fake democratic government could not withstand even the slightest jolt of Taliban and fled away from the Afghan soil. The U.S and allies are responsible for the mess in Afghanistan and now it is their responsibility to clear away their mess and help Afghanistan in times of crisis. The U.S and allies are responsible for the looming crisis. All Afghans are not Talibans and the enmity of a group cannot be revenged from the masses.
The U.S and allies are crushing Afghans people for their catharsis. Blaming the Taliban is illogical and insane. If the World Super power with her allies could not stabilize Afghanistan in more than 20 years, how could the Taliban do it within a few months? It is the need of the hour to cooperate with the Taliban government to avert the Afghanistan crisis on an immediate basis. The U.S and allies have several other junctures to avenge Taliban as a catharsis of their defeat. Instead of releasing funds, the U.S and allies have frozen the Afghan finance which is unjustified, inhuman and illogical. The civilized world must raise their voice against this cruelty. Even the neutral countries seem reluctant to support Afghans. The U.S and allies are much more undemocratic than Taliban in sanctioning Afghanistan. OIC seems like a blue lightning in the dark clouds for highlighting the Afghanistan crisis as it is aptly put in by Mr.Khan “the biggest man made crisis.” Although, politically, economically, diplomatically and strategically OIC is incapable of averting the Afghan crisis yet a bird in hand is better than two in the bush.
OIC has no influence over the U.S and allies. OIC countries have several other motives besides the Afghan crisis. The political, strategic and economic interests of the OIC countries cannot be ignored. OIC can support the Afghanistan crisis for short term to forestall the instant disaster but Afghanistan is seeking long term and durable infrastructural support. Afghanistan is ranked at about 161 on the infrastructural index and 173 on business. The ranking of individual indicators also presents a gloomy image. The worst performing indicators are dealing with building permits 183, registering property 186, getting electricity 173, and paying taxes 178 and cross border trade 177. It has given birth to a versatile predicament counting food insecurity. More than 12.5 million are rigorously food insecure. Some concrete programs and economic frameworks by OIC can help Afghans. The past experience is crystal clear for all of us that disguised support for political purposes has harmed Afghanistan more than any good.
The U.S and allies have sown the seeds of poverty, inhumanity, injustice, instability, economic disasters and bankruptcy and why should Taliban reap it? The U.S and allies are avenging 40 million Afghans on the pretext of Taliban. More than half of Afghans are facing grave food shortages and millions of children are at the stake and dying of malnutrition. It is also strange that OIC was in deep slumber during 20 years’ NATO brutalities in Afghanistan, it is likely that the U.S is playing its card through OIC. The agonies and miseries of Afghans are indescribable. It is probable that Saudi Arabia is striving to get its strong hold in the region especially in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Without western financial help the handing over Afghan money to their representatives, there seems no visible change. It is awkward that the U.S has signed its exit with Taliban and handed over control to them and now is unwilling to recognize them. If the OIC members succeed in incorporating regional and extra regional financial institutions to launch a joint mission to lift up the Afghan crisis, then they will be somewhere to handle it contrary to the fact that it is no more than a session. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in the best interests of the regional and extra regional factors. If the Afghan crisis prolongs, it will stem the terrorist groups to penetrate in multi dimensional zones to target western interests in the region. The current Sino-Russian and India-Russian ties seem to curtail the power shift in the region. OIC members must dare to recognize the Afghan Government and trigger their influence in the western world to justify their stance and the fundamental rights of the Afghans.
The Writer is Prof. in English and Freelance Columnist, based in Lahore, Pakistan
