Saturday, May 8, 2010

Hamid Karzai's Coming US Visit

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, accompanied by a high level delegation, is traveling to the United States next week. Although the Afghan Government has not released any statement about the aims of the visit, political experts are of the view that there may be two subjects which would be points of the agenda of the meetings:

1. Talks with Taliban in the forthcoming Peace Consultative Jirga (assembly of elders).

2. Restoration of relations between Karzai and the United States.

Achievement of Targets
The question that arises here is that to what extent President Karzai's visit to Washington would contribute to the achievement of the targets. Although there is no Afghan, including me, who would oppose talks, because they have been very much put in trouble by war, yet there are some authorities, both inland and abroad, who do not think the talks with Taliban at this time as beneficial for Afghanistan. They argue so because their benefits might be at stake. This opposition of talks with Taliban at this moment has brought the Afghan President face to face with a number of obstacles in the way of his talks with Taliban.

However, the mafia members close to President Karzai also do not want the talks of the government with Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami, as the peace talks with Taliban would affect them negatively.

According to a report published by The Washington Post, both the deputies of the Afghan President, namely Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Karim Khalili, are showing opposition to talks with Taliban. The daily states with reference to both of them that if Taliban are brought to government, Karzai might be killed.

But the question is that whether they are so much worried about Karzai or there is something in their minds. Is not there something that lies in the bottom?

Karim Khalili and Mohammad Qasim Fahim both are war lords and members of mafia on national level. They are notorious on national level for the killing of thousands of people and grabbing land by force. And it is possible that in case of peace talks with the Taliban, they would lose their benefits.

Talks With Taliban
A number of Americans also do not consider this time as a proper time for talks with the Taliban. They say that Taliban are not united and talks with them at this moment might not give noticeable result. Moreover, they think that the Taliban are gaining more and more strength with the passage of every single day. They add that Taliban are sure about their victory, and, therefore, they are not willing for talks at present.

Another important agenda of the discussion of Obama and Karzai is the restoration of the weakened links between them. A month ago, President Karzai charged the international community for rigging in the elections and severely criticized it. On the other hand, Karzai also charged the US forces for the large number of civilian killing and several other issues and added that if this continues, the general public in Afghanistan might develop a hatred for the US forces. Alongside it, President Obama, during his visit to Afghanistan in June, also referred to President Karzai failure in checking corruption in the country. All these led to the creation of an atmosphere of the lack of confidence between them.

There is a wise saying in Pashto: "A person gets fire from his own skirt", and President Karzai has also got fire from his own skirt, as his own deputies are opposing the peace talks with Taliban. Then why should we complain from the government, the opposition and the opponent parties?

Karzai should first get the support of his own circle and then go on to talk with Taliban. I mean that as long as these war lords and mafia members, who are giving preference to their personal interests over the national interests, are there in the government, peace talks are impossible.

Peace Consultative Jirga
Now, Karzai wants to talk to US President Barack Obama on these two points during his Washington visit. And it was for this reason that the peace consultative jirga, planned to be held in May, was delayed. It is possible that Karzai would discuss it with Obama and get the support of United States for holding the jirga and peace talks with Taliban.

Karzai! Complaints are directed against those who are not one's opponents. That is why we are complaining to you and are criticizing you. The eyes of the nation are not closed to facts and you should also not make blank excuses to convince yourself. You are convincing the Afghans on daily basis with your empty remarks and statements. And now you are going to convince the international community as well. First, you should bring changes in your government to get internal support for restoring peace and then go ahead for talks with Taliban. And if you are also just wasting time like Hazrat sahib (Perhaps he means Sibghatullah Mujaddidi), then it is another thing.

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