The external forces at work within Afghanistan today has been well described by Ameen Jan in his article. One thing that jumps out for me was the assumption by Pakistani policy makers after the Peshawar Accords of 1993, and the subsequent destruction of Kabul by Hekmatyar and other Mujahideen forces, that Pakistan had to support Pashtun factions in Afghanistan for ideological reasons.

This "ideological reason", is primarily an ethnic policy, supported by military assistance. It has failed, primarily because of its failure to recognize that Afghans are roughly fifty percent Pashtun, and fifty percent composed of another twenty or so minority ethnicities, many of whom live in areas bordering the CARs and Iran. That a virulent Pashtun "uber alles" state in Afghanistan would never succeed has been apparent to Afghan leaders going back to the beginning of this century, at least. This apparent lack of knowledge of and respect for, Afghan minorities has cost Pakistan dearly within the region and internationally. The economic cost, in terms of foregone oil and gas revenues alone, demonstrates the measurable hard currency losses associated with geographic ignorance and pre-occupation with India and Kashmir. Pakistan can perhaps be excused for its giddiness after the Soviet retreat from her borders, but to then assume some sort of regional fiat (earned by the blood of Afghans), was the stupor of fools. Pakistan is apparently now realizing that a Central Asian Union (including Pakistan) and its attendant benefits, can only be attained by a union of equals. Iran may yet need to learn this lesson, and to this extent Pakistan has an advantage.

By working with the CARs, and all Afghan groups, Pakistan will attain oil riches plus a regional identity which will unify her with Central Asia's rising new economies. strengthened thus, dare India visit troubles upon Pakistan? It would be wise for Pakistani policy makers to learn more about the various ethnicities in Central Asia, some of whom have cousins in Afghanistan, and to redefine their notion of who an Afghan is. Certainly Afghans know who they are, and are rejecting the Pakistan notion that Afghan means Pashtun. Pashtuns in Afghanistan are not the same Pashtuns who are in Pakistan. There are language differences (a western Pashto and an eastern Pashto, defined linguistically), plus a separate national identity and cultural orientation that goes back at least three generations.

Any dreams of a merged "Pashtunistan", will evaporate with the eventual restoration of a legitimate Afghan leadership and unification of all of Afghanistan's peoples. This nightmare visited upon Afghans in the form of the Taliban, is exacerbating and opening divisions within Afghanistan which were long forgotten, including sectarian differences. History will record Pakistan's clumsy attempts at creating a client state based on ethnic favoritism, and only history will tell if Afghans can forgive Pakistan this momentary lack of good manners and neighborly respect.

By: Arsalan Mohmand (Washington, D.C., USA)
Email: Mohmand4@aol.com