By: Asem Mustafa
May 1, 2021 is the date which will ensure the peace and if the deadline is not met which, is presumed from the recent statement of the United States President Joe Biden, the region is likely to plunge into a fresh battleground and there will be no end to the bloodbath this time.
The peace accord signed between Afghan Taliban and the United States on February 29, 2020 at Doha is likely to be put aside as the promises made a year ago in Doha in the presence of international witnesses were a mere eyewash.
Why such a statement from the US president at such a time when he recently took over the presidency has made many world leaders question the reasoning as the world fears the backlash.
The Islamophobia that resulted in Auckland massacre in 2019 is not forgotten and the radical elements in western society added with new rules from the governments making life difficult for Muslims are all viewed with concern. France in particular has gone a step further and French government’s ban on Hijab has displeased millions of Muslim across the world.
The statement from President Joe Biden suggests that complete withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan would be difficult by May 1. The Afghan Talibans who have asked for the complete withdrawal of US troops and allied forces including security contractors and advisers in the peace accord at Doha have retaliated with the fact that if the agreement is not met there would be dire consequences.
Pakistan from day one has supported and made efforts for dialogue between the two sides and it was her endless efforts that made it possible for the two warring sides to sit at the Doha Conference.
The remarkable fete is a big achievement as the photo featuring US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul GhaniBaradar is a history lesson as two decades of fight was put on halt with the two shaking hands.
Two decades of war also depicted how United States with all its advance technology miserably failed in creating peace in the region. Afghan Talibans after the withdrawal of the US troops gave an undertaking that Afghan soil will not be used against the United States and after the troops’ withdrawal the intra Afghan dialogue will take place to unite the country. It is worth mentioning the English invaded Afghanistan and lost followed by USSR and now USA. The USSR loss in Afghanistan resulted in its disintegration while USA has now its society divided.
United Nations during the peace accord at Doha made a welcome statement that finally the truce has taken place but in the global game the truce and peace accords have very little meanings.
The conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not long ago the border skirmishes between India and China also exists and last but not the least Pakistan and India have a long standing dispute on Kashmir.
The two Pakistan and India have been at war on the issue and the borders between the two have always been hot.
There is still time and as the May approaches and revisiting the policy on Afghanistan by American administration will save many from making the May Day call.