Why Pakistan is a threat to the Pashtun people

Why Pakistan is a threat to the Pashtun people

Pakistan, being a creation of British foreign policy, has always harboured a sense of distaste towards the Pashtun people, especially to those living in Afghanistan. There could be many reasons for this, one being the durrand line. The Pashtun people throughout the ages, have been pitted against one another, divided and made to suffer under many great games by past empires, but has never ended to this day. Pakistan has played a very disastrous role in the Pashtun region, by arming social rejects and using other ethnic groups to fight against the Pashtun people. However, the role of Pakistan has two faces, one face being the one dictating to Pashtuns how they should live, and the other doing the completely opposite to what they preach.

Pakistan’s foreign policy towards the Pashtun people has been distasteful and deceitful, take the example of the meddling that occurred during the 70’s. The American’s wanted to give the Soviets their Vietnam, by doing so; they decided to use Afghanistan as the staging ground to lure the soviets in, and use Afghan blood instead of their own. 

As the Americans wanted their Vietnam, Pakistan looked to making a gain and a profit from the Pashtun people in Afghanistan. There were many debates within Pakistan, to find an opportunity to extract as much aid from America to turn Afghanistan into its proxy state, like for example finance Minister Ghulam Isthiaq khan stating “Pakistan must earn the ire of the Soviet Union, American has no option in the region to check Soviet expansionism except Pakistan, thus America must treat us fairly[1]”. Pakistan wanted to establish a lasting American presence in the region instead of an act of expediency. Zia ul haq, being the fore runner of introducing the US to Central/South Asia, complained on many occasions that he was doubtful of America’s intentions towards Pakistan’s role in this new planned war with the Soviets as he stated “If the US is going to help Pakistan, let it come whole hog. If I accept such meaningless level of aid, I will only provoke the Russians without really getting a defence against them. I will burn my bridges: do you really want me to do that?[2]” On 30th December 1970, Brzezinski affirmed that America stood by Pakistan and preserved its right to independence, meaning, America would support Pakistan at all costs, if the Soviets ever came to the assistance of the Afghanistan government or entered the region. 

As usual, the topic of India, always came on the minds of the Pakistani leadership at the time, this was a great opportunity for Pakistan to use Afghanistan, as a means to receive aid and assurances against India from America. The American Brzezinski/Christopher mission reassured Zia, that America would help Pakistan in event of an Indian attack and would work together in preventing India from becoming a full fledged ally of the Soviet Union. Pakistan and America became stronger allies during this period, and opposed any form of assistance from the Soviet Union to Afghanistan. Pakistan wanted to seek out a stronger ally who would protect its security and material assistance against both Afghanistan and India. 

However another interesting factor in regards to Zia ul haqs relationship with America was his association with the University of Nebraska, which worked with Pakistan in producing mass Pro Jihadi Literature which was destined for Afghans affected by the war in Afghanistan, in the early 1980’s, the CIA was tasked to distribute literature that would inspire Afghans to go Jihad against the Soviets and the Afghan government. This spread of “Anti Soviet”, and “Pro Al-Qaida” like literature took place in printing houses in Peshawer, which had a large number of Afghan refugees, with Zia’s approval this was given the go ahead and the radical islamifcation took place as Zia wanted to see a future generation of Militant Mullahs all over Afghanistan who would serve Pakistani interests. 

Pakistan not only found its way and key to guide itself into Afghanistan, it had the backing of a powerful ally being the USA, and with the constant flow of dollars and training from the CIA, the Pakistanis had a strong presence in Afghan affairs.

This made Afghanistan very nervous, and the soviets were called in to secure it from being overthrown from ISI/CIA led proxies, however, no matter what the Afghan government did, the ISI/CIA nexus always had a way to attack the Afghan government, one instance being a tactic used to block the supply lines of the Mujahedeen (proxies) from Pakistan, however, the ISI/CIA found a way to get in, and that was through a tunnel constructed by them at Zhawar Killi near Khost, which just borders Pakistan, that housed a training camp, weapons site, electricity and piped water and was close to Osama Bin Laden’s training camp at the time. 

America and Pakistan flooded Afghanistan with unsavoury figures from the Middle East, Europe and South East Asia, the decline and fall of the Pashtun people as an independent people came to its demise, a new era occurred, the era of outside powers running Afghanistan and using it as a staging ground of “Proxy Warfare”. 

When the Soviets withdrew in February 1989, the real great game began, with regional powers using the blood of the Pashtuns for their own interests. Its main competitors were the Pakistanis and the Saudis, who on the 19th February 1989 requested the members of the Islamic Alliance of Afghanistan to meet in Rawalpindi to discuss developing a new interim government similar to the recent Libyan NTC with the likes of Mujaddidi and Sayaf as chair, Hekmatyar as deputy chair and Yunis/Rabbani as foreign, defence and interior ministers. 

The ISI with the Saudis, started placing their favourites into power, and chose the most extremist elements of the religionist scene to control the way Afghanistan is run and made sure Afghanistan did not become a threat towards Pakistani interests in the region. As Pashtun Nationalism declined due to Pakistan’s meddling, the Militant Mullah took power, and turned Afghanistan into another province of Pakistan with Saudi Arabian Wahabist Ideology as a basis of education of the masses. 

Pakistan wanted its revenge on the Pashtun people, especially in regards of Afghanistan’s demand for a Pashtunistan that would unite both brothers across the imaginary durrand line. Afghanistan refused Pakistanis entry to the United Nations in the past which made it a priority for the Pakistani side to establish a cleric rule over Afghanistan, make it weak and instable, so the masses turn to Pakistan for opportunities and business. 

The author believes the sole reason why Pakistan supported the war on the Soviet Union, was due to the fact that, during a visit to Kabul in 1955 by Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev, stated that “we sympathise with Afghanistan's policy on the Pashtunistan issue[3]." the Soviet Union’s refusal to allow Pakistanis entry to US sponsored defence arrangements such as the SEATO in January 1955 and MEDO in September of the same year, which would be named CENTO later on contributed to their demand for Pashtunistan to be handed back to Afghanistan away from Pakistani colonial rule.

This made the Pakistanis very anxious, and looked for any opportunity to dismantle Afghanistan and divide, before the Soviets entered Afghanistan, Pakistan never missed the opportunity to attack Afghanistan, take for instance General Babar of Pakistan explained once that “I told the government we must have some elements to influence events in Afghanistan in case there was trouble[4]”

Pakistanis definition of an element to influence events in Afghanistan were a group of Afghan Ikhwanis (Muslim brothers) that were led by Gulbadin Hekmatyar and Burhadin Rabbani who were recruited by Pakistan to counter the spread of the Pashtun nationalism and support for a unified Pashtunistan under the government of Daud. 

Most of these recruits were trained at the Cherat Army Camp near Peshawer. In late July 1975, the ISI armed a group of militants under the command of Ahmad Shah Masood, and sent them to Pansjir valley in Afghanistan. The ISI led group, was instantly destroyed by the local community in Pansjir and the Afghan army. 

Due to this failure, Pakistan as usual, claimed it to be a success, and General Babar stated “I told Mr Bhutto it is time we conveyed a message to Daud[5]”. Pakistan’s meddling in Pashtun areas was of their own strategic importance, with less regard to the people as a whole, Pakistan’s ISI conducted most of the attacks on the Afghan government as Brig. Mohammad Yousaf once stated “I was now cast in the role of overall guerrilla leader[6]”.

The Pashtun blood became a tool for Pakistan to keep the Pashtun people divided and backwards, with a clerical rule, one can recall how the Islamic alliance of Afghanistan turned on themselves, and starting fighting one another to please their masters. The Islamic alliance committed crimes against the Afghan people, much worse than any other past occupier. Afghanistan’s infrastructure was destroyed, the roads were destroyed, and the markets were flattened due to rocket attacks by rival Islamic alliance groups. 

This made the lives of the Pashtun people miserable, and no concern from the West or the Muslim world was shown upon the people. The Pashtun people were ignored and left to the devilish hands of the Pakistani Intelligence agencies, that pitted one Afghan against another, and encouraged Afghanistan to become a country run by warlords and criminals.

The Americans couldn’t care less after they gave the Soviets their Vietnam, the mass number of innocent Afghans who were killed in the name of American/Pakistani/Arab world interests, were just pushed aside. The Americans and Pakistanis only wanted to lure the Soviets in. The people who were responsible and conducted the Anti Soviet Jihad, were less concerned about the welfare of the Afghan people after the Soviets withdraw from Afghanistan, take for example Zbigniew Brzezinski’s statements as follows:-

“It isn't quite that. We didn't push the Russians to intervene, but we knowingly increased the probability that they would[7].”

And

“Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter: We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war.…[8]” 

And

“What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Muslims or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the cold war[9]?”

One can see, how the Americans, Pakistanis and the Arab world knew, this war could have been prevented or never even occurred, but their interests came first, with no regard to what will happen to the Pashtun people in the future, as we suffer due to the ill games being played upon our people and land, the Pashtun people must realise who the real problem maker is, and confront this spread of the Pakistani virus upon our Pashtun lands.

Our people are mistreated, exploited and guided on the wrong direction, with all links to our destruction as a people to the ISI in Rawalpindi in Pakistan’s Punjab. Even though, Pakistan has existed for over 60 years, they still continue to practice the FCR upon the Pashtun people. How can one say, Pakistan has any respect for the Pashtun people when infact, Winston Churchill himself stated in 1897 Malakand Campaign, that the Pashtun tribes regarded consolidation of the frontier with Afghanistan as an insult to their independence. Pakistan to this day, has abused its own laws, including the FCR to further punish the Pashtun people for instance take the case of Mohammad Nawaz and Tawkal Din, who were arrested for just being part of the Mahsud tribe. They stated the Pakistani Authorities arrested them for no reason and kept them behind bars and transferred to a prison in DI Khan. 

This disrespect by Pakistan occurs daily in the Pashtun region, from the authors own experience, the IDPs from Waziristan, Afghanistan, Swat and other parts of the Pashtun region, have been mistreated and exploited by the Pakistani government both for strategic purposes and to keep them in a demoralised state so the people never progress and show potential to become truly independent.

How can one forgive the way Pakistan treats the Pashtun people, how can one forget when the ANP coalition in May 2009 threatened to quit, on the grounds that IDPs from Swat were being prohibited from entering Punjab. This punishment does not stop there, there were cases whereby people of Punjab and Karachi purposely increased their charges of rent just to make a profit and exploit the miserable life the Pashtuns of Swat were going through. How can we sit there, and accept becoming IDPs on our own land.

While our children’s schools are constantly blown up by the Taliban, and the misery we go through because of Pakistan’s strategic goals on our land, this does not stop there, in March 2010, the Punjab minister Shabaz Sharif stated “If the Taliban are also fighting for the same cause then they should not carry out acts of terror in Punjab.[10]”

Even the Punjab minister at the time, wanted to spare his Punjab from the misery their Proxies have caused on Pashtunkhwa region. 

Pashtuns need to organise themselves, and develop a sense of national unity for the Pashtun cause, and remove every attempt of Pakistan to divide us.

By

Amir Khan Maseed

Afghan Patriot.

References

A. Z. Hilali (July 2005). US-Pakistan relationship: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Pakistan: Ashgate. 69. 

Akhtar Amin . (Sept 2009). PHC seeks explanation for PA’s action against tribesmen in settled areas. Available: Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan. Last accessed 26 Oct 2011. 

Dilip Mukerjee. (1975). Afghanistan under Daud - Relations with Neighboring States. Available: Afghanistan Under Daud :: Khyber.ORG. Last accessed 26th Oct 2011

Frank Clements (2003). Conflict in Afghanistan: a historical encyclopedia. America: ABC-CLIO Ltd. 122-123. 

Imtiaz Gul. (July 2010). The Most Dangerous Place: Pakistan's Lawless Frontier. Available: The Most Dangerous Place: Pakistan's ... - Imtiaz Gul - Google Books. Last accessed 26 Oct 2011.

Jeff Cohen. (December 2001). Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Available: Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Last accessed 26th Oct 2011. 

Neamatollah Nojumi (Jan 2002). The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan: Mass Mobilization, Civil War and the Future of the Region . United States: Saint Martin's Press Inc.. 128. 

Rizwan Hussain (Feb 2005). Pakistan and the emergence of Islamic militancy in Afghanistan. Untied Kingdom: Ashgate Publishing Limited .

Reuters Blog. (March 2010). Punjab minister asks for mercy from Taliban, earns woman’s scorn. Available: Punjab minister asks for mercy from Taliban, earns woman’s scorn | Pakistan: Now or Never?. Last accessed 26th Oct

[1] A. Z. Hilali (July 2005). US-Pakistan relationship: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Pakistan: Ashgate. 69. 

[2] By A. Z. Hilali (July 2005). US-Pakistan relationship: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Pakistan: Ashgate. 69. 

[3] Dilip Mukerjee. (1975). Afghanistan under Daud - Relations with Neighboring States. Available: Afghanistan Under Daud :: Khyber.ORG. Last accessed 26th Oct 2011. 

[4] Neamatollah Nojumi (Jan 2002). The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan: Mass Mobilization, Civil War and the Future of the Region . United States: Saint Martin's Press Inc.. 128. 

[5] Neamatollah Nojumi (Jan 2002). The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan: Mass Mobilization, Civil War and the Future of the Region . United States: Saint Martin's Press Inc.. 128.

[6] Neamatollah Nojumi (Jan 2002). The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan: Mass Mobilization, Civil War and the Future of the Region . United States: Saint Martin's Press Inc.. 128.

[7] Jeff Cohen. (December 2001). Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Available: Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Last accessed 26th Oct 2011. 

[8] Jeff Cohen. (December 2001). Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Available: Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Last accessed 26th Oct 2011. 

[9] Jeff Cohen. (December 2001). Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Available: Internet Samizdat Releases Suppressed Voices, History. Last accessed 26th Oct 2011. 

[10] Reuters Blog. (March 2010). Punjab minister asks for mercy from Taliban, earns woman’s scorn. Available: Punjab minister asks for mercy from Taliban, earns woman’s scorn | Pakistan: Now or Never?. Last accessed 26th Oct