Former ambassadors to Afghanistan favour dialogue with new regime but say “NO” to legitimise it

After AK 47 toting Taliban insurgents captured Afghanistan, relentlessly fighting the American and NATO forces for protracted twenty years, compelling its president Ashraf Ghani and his entire cabinet flee the country taking refuge in UAE, the powerful nations – China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan are curiously eyeing on this war torn state to establish their hegemony.

India, currently busy in bringing back its stranded citizens to Delhi including some Afghani citizens is however closely monitoring the Afghan situation being in touch with the powers that be.

While return of Taliban in the war torn country having the full backing of neighbouring Pakistan, a breeding ground for hard core terrorists and terror organisations is a matter of immense concern to one and all, especially Afghan populace who had in the past seen and experienced their tortuous deadly rule, especially anti women attitude with fundamental religious (Islamist) orientation – various journalists organisations, foreign policy experts and right thinking people are busy venting their anger and views in seminars, round table talks finding ways and means to cope with the critical situation.

At Press Club of India auditorium, a seminar was organised on the ongoing Afghan development titled, ” Afghanistan and Challenges ahead” with foreign policy expert n veteran journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik, former BBC veteran journo Satish Jacob, former Ambassadors to Afghanistan Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Vivek Katju and former senior bureaucrat Shakti Sinha expressing their important views on the pivotal subject.

The seminar was ably anchored by senior journo and Press Club of India president Umakant Lakhera.

Majority of the speakers having tremendous knowledge of Afghan affairs having worked in the war torn country for long stints as ambassadors were of a strong view of holding minimal dialogue with the new Taliban regime despite its various negative aspects though there is no need to legitimise the rule at any cost.

Citing the examples of US, China, Russia and Iran the speakers said that all these countries have been talking with the Taliban extracting commitments from them for not using their country to foment terrorism in their countries viz China and Russia including American pulling out of the war torn country after two decades terming their pull out as a peace deal. If they can do it, why is India lagging behind despite its investment of 3billion US dollars in this war torn country demanded distinguished speakers.

Emphasising on commencing minimal dialogue with Taliban , though not legitimising their government, former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Gautam Mukhopadhyay said that India should be the last country to grant recognition to Taliban and should not jump to any final conclusion hastily to legitimise it, as this decision will lead to serious consequences for the entire region, especially when it forms its government with other allies.

Expressing his apprehensions that Taliban which has earlier supported various global terrorist organisations like Al Qaeda n Laakar E- Tayyeba etc in Pakistan and central Asia, without naming them, Taliban may result in giving boost to these global terror groups an an inspirational force keeping in view their past dubious record. Mukhopadyay’s obvious reference was towards strife torn Kashmir without naming it to be used again by these terror organisations in league with Taliban and Pakistan.

Speaking on Taliban’s, recent change of heart posture expressing their desire to have friendship with India, former Indian Ambassador Gautam Mukhopadhyay categorically said India should not at all agree to their desire of friendship with us questioning : What is the guarantee that other groups being supported by it would not carry out destructive actions in India.

He however favoured establishing dialogue with Taliban, if not at the official platform then at least at people to people levels.

Speaking on the geopolitical impact in the region after Taliban’s arrival in Afghanistan, Mukhopadhyay was of the strong opinion that after the vacation of Afghanistan and Taliban’s near total victory fully backed by India’s enemy Pakistan, the latter’s political Godfather expansionist China, Russia, Pakistan n Iran will try their level best to influence the present regime to dominate Afghanistan as US did during the previous regime for 20 long years.

The visit of the Taliban leadership to China, a closest ally of Pakistan, the dragons have also developed interest in Iran after imposition of US sanctions against the latter. The Russia too seems to have come in close proximity to Pakistan making absolutely clear that India is in a real fix situation making it a matter of great strategic concern for India said Gautam Mukhopadhyay while addressing the seminar.

Another former Ambassador to Afghanistan Vivek Katju while agreeing on most of his colleague’s view on Afghan situation emphasised the dire need to open talks with the new regime in Afghanistan saying that despite their religious orientation and contacts with Pakistan and their behaviour and conduct during their 6 years rule in 1990s I strongly urge that India should open direct talks with Taliban in order to explore various opportunities, especially when India had invested 3 billion US dollars in this, war torn country. Criticizing the former president Ashraf Ghani Katju said that he was very much in the grip of Pakistan who went there for resolution of Afghan problem with Taliban only to later on turn towards India after being scolded by the Pakistan generals n government.

Speaking in favour of opening dialogues with Taliban, former chief of PTI hindi service Bhasha and expert on Afghan Affairs Ved Pratap Vaidik said that the Indian government should not take any stand against Taliban but should instead start dialogue with them, questioning, if Russia, China and the United States can negotiate with them why can’t India. Kindly recall that veteran journalist and expert of Afghan affairs Ved Pratap Vaidik had been talking to the Afghan leaders during the ongoing crisis. He lamented that the Indian government has not taken any suggestion, or advise from experts on Afghanistan affairs especially who’ve been touch with the previous and present regime.

Shakti Sinha, from US Assistance mission in US said while there is tremendous panic among people in Afghanistan unlike 1996 regime of Taliban this time there was no untoward situation or violence, saying that majority of the Afghan population is highly desirous of having solid friendship terms with India.

Meanwhile a former president of Uttarayini and (Retd DIG) Chandramohan Bahuguna while commenting on running away of the Afghan president Ashraf Ghani from Kabul to UAE when the entire country was in critical situation ( turmoil) wrote : Professor Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan ousted president, and anthropologist and former chancellor of university of Kabul authored a book titled ” Fixing Failed State”, but could not fix his own state. In fact he ran for his life hiding, leaving Afghanistan, when Taliban stormed the country’s Presidential Palace. This makes academia very beautiful because mist theories don’t work in real life. Some are just good on paper wrote former DUG n president of Uttarayini Chandramohan Bahuguna.

• 

Good number of senior journalists of Hindi and English print n electronics media participated in this seminar and interactive session ably moderated by the Press Club of India chief Umakant Lakhera.