By Nusrat Mirza
After conducting a poll in December 2010 and February 2011 by the BBC World Service in 24 countries around the world concluded that 40% of the 24,000 people support NATO negotiations with the Taliban. Moreover, 16% of respondents surveyed supported immediate withdrawal of the NATO forces and 29% supported continued effort to defeat the Taliban. This poll led to US Afghan Reconciliation Process; Thus peace agreement.
American policy was destructive to mankind. Now if SCO can play a constructive role to resolve the issues between the SCO countries, if SCO would like to be a powerful group in the world or replace USA in this region, it should have to involve itself in SCO’s countries conflict otherwise it will be a tea party club. Though, still SCO can do many things using SCO-RATS and Afghan SCO group as an instrument for reconciliation process in Pakistan.
Restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan, has always topped the agenda of the regional bloc. Thanks to the joint efforts by the international community and SCO member states in particular, peace has eventually become possible in the war-torn nation, though uncertainties still exist. Peace talks on Afghan issues were finally concluded and this could have become possible gradually with the mediation of SCO member states.
For instance, the first meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan-United States-China Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) was held in Islamabad on January 11, 2016, in an attempt to revive the peace process. Since its establishment, the SCO has always maintained the security and stability of the region as its priority, and called for a severe crackdown on “three Evils”, namely terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
Afghanistan has been fighting on the front line in the war against terrorism. Practical work is being conducted on the basis of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In order to improve practical skills, joint anti-terrorism exercises are conducted through law enforcement agencies and the armed forces. China has offered to train 2,000 law enforcement officers for all parties in the next a few years through the China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation and other platforms to enhance law enforcement capacity building.
Pakistan is this issue played a vital role to bring Taliban and USA to reach an agreement and now to maintain peace in Afghanistan where USA is gathering anti peace elements to disturb Taliban led government of Afghanistan. In this case, China and Russia have to play major role using all instrument in their command to stabilize Afghanistan.
Further, Russia has to make sure to keep India far away from Afghanistan as India being American agent and peace spoiler for its own reasons. It is supporting Daesh in Afghanistan. The Afghan government believes that Pakistan’s support critical to the overall success of the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
It is acknowledgeable that Pakistan could be helpful in the Afghan reconciliation process but a more important issue to analyze is the extent to which Pakistan has the will and capability to play a constructive role in the Afghan peace and reconciliation process; but SCO can do much more using the available tools with it and against US destructive Policy.