Peshawar: Pakistan can act as a bridge between the Afghan Taliban and the international community, especially the US, as the latter is reluctant to recognize the former’s government in Kabul, speakers at a round table have observed.
Panelists discussed Afghanistan’s foreign policy under the Taliban, cross-border movement of terrorists and counter-terrorism, Pakistan’s foreign policy interests and options for Afghanistan, regional stability in Central Asia and Russia, China’s interests, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Talk about Belt and Road. initiative, US foreign policy choices in Afghanistan, according to a statement issued here on Tuesday.
Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women’s University Peshawar held two parallel round table conferences to discuss the Afghan Taliban’s capture of power and changes in the security landscape of the region. The program was organized by the Political Science Department of the University.
The first discussions were based on the Taliban’s recovery of power in Afghanistan and the challenges they faced such as their worldwide acceptance, brain evacuation from Afghanistan, food challenges and frozen Afghan foreign reserves and aid by the US government. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which has led many challenges, including protecting human rights, securing international support, and addressing economic and humanitarian crises.
Discuss Afghan foreign policy, regional issues under Taliban
The second round table discussed the return of the Afghan Taliban to power and changes in the security landscape of the region. Clearly, in the wider Central Asian and South Asian region, Pakistan, China and Russia will have a far greater influence than ever before, the panelists observed.
According to him, while the situation in Afghanistan is still evolving, the coming to power of the Afghan Taliban has raised concerns that a resurgence of the insurgency could put the region at risk, activating international terrorist groups and foreign May threaten investments, which are linked to BRI and CPEC. ,
Pakistan has a unique relationship with Afghanistan and continues to be a key player in the new landscape. The long history of troubled relations has been defined by cultural and ethnic ties, sovereignty concerns, security interests and trade. Pakistan has a great interest in the Afghan Taliban acting firm and not allowing Afghanistan to enter an uncontrolled territory.
SBBWU and Center for Global and Strategic Studies (CGSS) Islamabad signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which included joint research collaboration, organization of conferences and seminars.
The panelists included SBBWUP Vice Chancellor Prof Razia Sultana, City University of Science and Technology Prof Minhajul Hasan, CGSS Chief Executive Retired Lt-Col Khalid Taimur Akram, former Ambassador Ayaz Wazir and experts Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, Dr. Sadia Suleman, Prof. Shabbir Ahmed Were. Imtiaz Guland Dr Raza Rehman.
Published in Dawn, November 24, 2021