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In a recent article, the Pakistani daily Roznama Islam argued that only an Afghan government established on the basis of Islam would be friendly to Pakistan. The daily maintained that Pakistan and Afghanistan enjoyed friendly relations only when the late Taliban leader Mullah Omar was at the helm of Afghan government affairs (1996-2001). The article, dated July 1, was published before the Afghan government announced on July 29 that Mullah Omar had died in April 2013 in Pakistan.
Roznama Islam, the Islamist daily known for its open support of militant organizations, first started publishing in the early 1990s. At one time, it avoided publishing photographs of living creatures, in keeping with Islamic values. It is published from seven cities of Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Quetta, and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir.
The article, titled "Pakistan and Afghanistan" and written by Ayyub Beg Mirza, also accused India of trying to damage Pakistan-Afghan relations. It added that Pakistan had never tried to make Afghanistan a friend on equal terms, noting: "If Pakistan and Afghanistan become two hearts but one body, then, Allah willing, the international system of the caliphate's foundation will be established here."
Following are excerpts from the article:
"Pakistan Also Made Mistakes... For Instance, It Never Tried To Make It [i.e. Afghanistan] A Friend On The Equal Level"
"The relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained bitter from day one. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that opposed Pakistan's inclusion in the United Nations. One reason for that was [Pashtun political leader] Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who later became known as Frontier Gandhi. He was considered the leader of the Pashtuns of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province [now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province]. He never had a soft corner for the Muslim League and its leadership [which led the movement for the creation of Pakistan]. When he started taking part in politics at the national level, he joined the Congress [which led the struggle for independence from British rule]. At the time of the Partition of India, Congress had a government in Sarhad province [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] and Abdul Ghaffar's younger brother Dr. Khan was the chief minister of the province.
"When Congress accepted the division formula [to partition undivided India], meaning accepting the creation of Pakistan, Abdul Ghaffar said to Pandit Nehru [i.e. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian prime minister]: 'You are handing us to the wolves.' But the people of Sarhad province gave their verdict in favor of [the creation] Pakistan, and rejected the Congress's call to boycott the referendum. Dr. Khan, after the creation of Pakistan, refused to salute the Pakistani flag, after which Quaid-e-Azam [Great Leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan] dismissed the provincial government of Dr. Khan. This increased Abdul Ghaffar Khan's enmity towards Pakistan. Since Ghaffar Khan had very close relations with Afghanistan's ruler, he formally played a big role in worsening relations between the two countries.
"The second big reason for the worsening of [Pakistan's] relations with Afghanistan was India, which had accepted the division of India very reluctantly and with distaste. India has adopted the philosophy of Chanakya [the Machiavelli of India who lived in the 4th century BC] at the statecraft level from day one; the foundation of that philosophy is to treat your neighbor as an enemy and to make your neighbor's neighbor a friend. So India, in its enmity with Pakistan, made Afghanistan its friend, and always encouraged it in enmity and excesses against Pakistan. Pakistan also made mistakes in this regard. For instance, it never tried to make it [i.e. Afghanistan] a friend on the equal level, but always brought it under its influence."
"America Has Become So Helpless In Afghanistan That Pakistan Is Only Acceptable To America If It Arranges For It A Respectable, Triumphant Exit From Afghanistan"
"Only during the period of Mullah Omar [the Taliban leader who ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001] were Pakistan-Afghanistan relations not only pleasant, but excellent. Pakistan was one of three countries that recognized the Afghan Taliban government. After 9/11, America committed aggression against Afghanistan and occupied Afghanistan. Pakistan, unfortunately, in fear of the U.S., supported America's naked aggression. When America tried to install a puppet government in Afghanistan, Pakistan had only one issue: Afghanistan should not have a pro-India government, and apart from that, do what you want to do.
"For the Afghan presidency, there was competition between Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah. Declaring Abdullah Abdullah an Indian supporter, Pakistan supported Hamid Karzai. But contrary to Pakistani expectations, Karzai kept twisting Pakistani arms, as dictated by America. At the end of the Karzai period, America reached the conclusion that Pakistan cannot be ignored on the Afghanistan issue. When Ashraf Ghani was elected as President [in 2014], America realized that Pakistani cooperation is essential in Afghanistan and arranged negotiations between Pakistan, Ashraf Ghani, and Abdullah Abdullah [Afghanistan's president and chief executive, respectively].
An agreement was made between the two countries. In principles it was decided that Afghanistan will act against those elements involved in terrorism in Pakistan from Afghanistan [territory]. On the other side, Pakistan will put pressure on the Taliban that they should become part of the Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah government. Both the parties will govern Afghanistan jointly, and the Indian role in Afghanistan will be limited. But these promises from both the sides were not fulfilled; so, taking advantage of this opportunity, India has become active once again in bringing Pakistan and Afghanistan face to face.
"In reality, America has become so helpless in Afghanistan that Pakistan is only acceptable to America if it arranges for it a respectable, triumphant exit from Afghanistan. It means that the American defeat should be given the cloak of victory, so that its appearance as a superpower remains intact, its interests are not hurt in other places, and it is not perceived as weak. If Pakistan plays this role, then Pakistan is acceptable [to America with regard to its role in Afghanistan]."
"The Arab World Is Losing Its Importance With Every Passing Day"; "Only An Afghan Government Established On The Basis Of Islam Will Wish Pakistan Well"
"We think that good and friendly future relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan can play an important role in the region. In fact, they can set a historical direction that currently appears not only difficult but impossible. The Arab world is losing its importance with every passing day, especially in terms of material resources. The mineral wealth of Central Asia has caught the eye of world powers.
"Pakistan and Afghanistan are also rich with this [mineral] wealth, and the world to a great extent is dependent on both countries to connect to Central Asia. Pleasant and good ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan are essential not only for both the countries, but also for the rebirth of the Muslim Ummah, and to have its position recognized in the world.
"Pakistan's ruling classes should understand these facts: Firstly, only an Afghan government established on the basis of Islam will wish Pakistan well. Secondly, establishing relations considering the other party as an inferior never give good results. Afghans should also understand that America and India can never be friendly with anyone who is Muslim, even in name only, and will stab him in the back when the time comes. They will only deal with them for interests. Pakistan and Afghanistan are not only Muslim countries, but neighbors whose walls are connected. Their interests are shared. If Pakistan and Afghanistan become two hearts but one body, then, Allah willing, the international system of the caliphate's foundation will be established here."
Source: Roznama Islam (Pakistan) July 1, 2015.
