One out of 4 Afghans “are uncertain where their next meal will come from”. Nearly 3 million children are experiencing acute levels of hunger. There is massive poverty despite 7 billion dollars in international aid. More than 50 percent of the population- some 23.7 million people require humanitarian assistance in 2024, “the third highest number of people in need in the world”. But only 21% of the $3 billion needed has been funded as of the last week of June.
Women and girls are “profoundly” impacted by the Afghan Taliban (henceforth Taliban) Interim Government, particularly by its ban on girls' education, which is “fuelling an increase in child marriage and early childbearing.” Women and girls have endured more than 1000 days out of school, leading to “growing levels of depression among” them.” Reports of attempted suicides among women and girls are also increasing. There is, moreover, the devastating effects of climate change with more frequent extreme weather events and annual droughts predicted to become the norm by 2030.
The country has a near zero carbon footprint but is the sixth most vulnerable to climate change. It is the least prepared to address climate shock. International assistance resources are, unfortunately decreasing, in part due to competing global demands on diminishing donor resources.
On political front there is no room for dissent
This account of the situation in Afghanistan including statistics was given by Roza Otunbayeva, United Nations' Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and Lisa Doughten, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (Humanitarian Financing and Resource Mobilisation Division), at the Security Council meetings on the crisis-ridden country.
Security after suppression
In one of the meetings, Roza Otunbayeva said while day-to-day security had improved for millions of people since the Taliban takeover, this had come at an enormous cost. Noting the denial of rights, the repression of women and girls, public displays of violence, lack of inclusive governance and the marginalization of minorities, she highlighted the arbitrary detention of women for alleged Islamic dress code violations. This, according to her, had a chilling effect among the wider female population, many of whom were afraid to move in public.
Besides monetary and humanitarian challenges there was terrorist violence. Referring to this aspect Roza had pointed out that there were well-founded concerns over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, noting that it was not only Da'esh (Islamic State) but also Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) which is a coalition of militant outfits of Pakistan.
Clearly the Taliban is unable to disown the TTP given their close tribal affinity and a long record of being strategic partners in need. The TTP is using the Afghan soil as a launching pad for its strikes in Pakistan.TTP Ameer (chief) Noor Wali Mehsud, recently stated that their ‘jihad” against Pakistan had entered a “decisive phase” and they would “liberate their lands and enforce the divine laws therein”.
Tariq Parvez, a former police officer and first national coordinator of NACTA (National Counter-Terrorism Authority of Pakistan), attributed Mehsud's “newfound confidence” “to the provision of a sanctuary in Afghanistan by the Afghan Taliban government, as well as the commitment of the Afghanistan-based AI Qaeda, to mentor the TTP in carrying out its terrorist campaign in Pakistan.”
In an article in Dawn he cautioned Pakistan to immediately review its strategy of tackling this security challenge from “the lethal troika, which is more experienced, committed and battle-hardened today than ever before”. He suggested that Pakistan should base its response to the TTP on four pillars: “creating an environment in Pakistan conducive to an effective national counter-terrorism (CT) effort; an external dimension in targeting the use of Afghanistan as a sanctuary by the TTP and AI Qaeda; sustained and coordinated kinetic measures; and a holistic plan for comprehensive, well-resourced, non-kinetic measures.”
Well-known security expert Muhammad Amir Rana advised Pakistan in an article in the same newspaper that it should “continue to put pressure” on the Taliban regime to restrict its ties with the TTP terrorists.” If the TTP had been abandoned by the Afghan Taliban, much of their strength would have evaporated”, he noted. He was categorical in stating: “The Afghan Taliban need to talk to the TTP mainly to convince them that peace in the region is inevitable for Afghanistan's stability and progress. For Pakistan, a complete surrender of the TTP should be the only option. After the surrender, initiatives such as rehabilitation, reintegration, and resettlement of TTP members can be launched”.
Pakistan frets and fumes
For its part Pakistan is making effort to convince the Taliban to move away from the TTP or drive it out of its soil. It is advising (its leaders have paid visits to Afghanistan to talk to the Taliban leadership), wooing (statement by its Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister lshaq Dar that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan would benefit both countries and promote prosperity in Central Asia and beyond) and even threatening the Taliban (Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's warning on June 28 that “if the need arises” they could launch strikes in the Afghan territory as “there is nothing more important than Pakistan's sovereignty”) in the hope that the situation would improve
It has called on the Security Council to take action against terrorism in Afghanistan.
Its ambassador to UN Munir Akram told the Security Councii: “While the AIG (Afghan Interim Government) is fighting Da'esh (IS-K) and has made some progress, there are a number of other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, AI-Qaeda, TTP, ETIM, IMU all these groups, against whom the AIG must take effective and sustained action, including in compliance with several resolutions of the Security Council… The TTP and its associates have been responsible for numerous cross-border attacks against Pakistan, resulting in hundreds of civilian and military casualties” (ETIM stands for the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and IMU for the Islamic Movement for Uzbekistan).
Akram urged the Council to call on the Afghan government to sever its links with and disarm the TTP and hand over captured TTP leaders to Pakistan. “The UN should also investigate how the TTP acquired its advanced weapons and the sources of the TTP's funding, including from external sources, which enables it to maintain up to 50,000 TTP fighters and their families,” he added.
Gender apartheid
Returning to the women's plight, Moonis Ahmar, former Dean Faculty of Social Science, University of Karachi, pointed out: “Taliban deny allegations of suppression of women rights arguing that they only follow Islamic principles”. In an article in The Express Tribune, he analyzed the gender apartheid in the country from three angles: (a) “the tribal and ultra-religious characteristics of Afghan society which has no proper scope (or enlightenment and moderation. Despite past efforts to modernize Afghanistan and liberate its women population after the Sour revolution of April 1978 and the overthrow of Taliban regime in October 200 I, the country is back to square one. It is in the hands of those who do not believe in democracy, constitution, political pluralism and inclusive mode of governance. Thus, unless there is structural changes in the Afghan mindset- based on enlightenment, moderation, tolerance and political pluralism – the country will not come out of the web of orthodoxy;” (b) “the role of various countries trying to placate Taliban's severe violation of human rights (or safeguarding their economic interest is lamentable. But for Russia and China, it doesn't matter if the Taliban regime is undemocratic or pursues a policy of gender apartheid as long as their economic interests are served. Giving legitimacy to a regime which has a poor record of human rights means patronizing elements known for their repressive past and cruel present. Given their consistent past and present, one cannot expect a change in their mindset as regards gender discrimination”; and, (c) “the absence of proper resistance emboldens the Taliban regime. The so-called National Resistance Front (NRF), unlike the Northern Alliance during the first Taliban rule, is unable to give a tough time to those who rule Kabul today”.
Based on these observations, Moonis Ahmar concluded: “All in all, gender apartheid in Afghanistan will further deepen unless the world community and NRF augment their drive against the exclusive Taliban regime, compelling it to implement terms and conditions of Doha Accord.”
The Taliban is unmoved. It continues to justify its treatment of women on religious grounds unmindful of the global criticism. Its government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said on June 29 that the Taliban authorities “acknowledge the issues about women. But these issues are Afghanistan's issues. We are working to find a logical path toward solutions inside Afghanistan so that, God forbid, our country doesn't again fall into conflict and discord.”
The Taliban regime seeks international recognition but appears unconcerned about its immediate absence. It evidently believes that the recognition will eventually come. Diplomatic ties have already been established with China, and Russia is likely to follow suit.
Although, neither China nor Russia has formally recognised the Taliban regime as the legitimate ruler, their conciliatory signals evidently embolden the Taliban to think that it is on the right course. Russia's Ministry of Justice and Foreign Affairs has recommended the Taliban's removal from the list of terrorist organisations. Its President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the Taliban as a “reality”. Putin's view is: “Afghanistan has issues, they are undeniable and well-known to all. The issue how to establish ties with the current power is another question. Yet they must be established somehow, these are the people who control the country and its territory, they are the current authority in Afghanistan. We need to proceed from reality and build relations accordingly.”
(Courtesy: Border Affairs)
