In an amusing news, Imran Khan’s constant attempts to convince Trump to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir has annoyed the US government. According to a government source speaking to WION, “Pakistani PM Imran Khan has been pressing to meditate on Kashmir, “something that is not going to happen”.
The source said Pakistani Prime Minister Khan has been “making a nuisance” on mediation. While there has been a “certain level of accommodation with Pakistan” by Washington in the backdrop of US Taliban deal but that doesn’t make “anyone friend”.
While the US and India edge closer to each other, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan continues to act like an irritant and during the meet between arguably two of the world’s most powerful leaders, the US-backed India’s right to defend and to keep an ‘eye on Pakistan’. This development comes amidst the backdrop of the landmark peace deal in Doha between the US and Taliban which will see the former completely withdraw its forces from Afghanistan. It is widely believed that Trump will bin Pakistan for good post the peace deal.
India also raised the issue of cross border-terror emanating from Pakistan on which the US agreed that: “states have the right to defend themselves” and Washington is “aware of the beast”. The source explained, the US understands the “need to keep an eye” on Pakistan and they will keep “pressure on Pakistan on its action with regards to taking action on terror”
Afghanistan represents a complex problem with the Afghan Government controlling 219 districts and 63% population with Taliban controlling 50 districts and 10% of the population making it even tougher for the USA to withdraw without casualties. After several delays, the historic peace deal between the US and the Afghan Taliban in Doha is finally set to take place today in Doha. In a significant development, India has been invited to attend the signing which will act as a tight slap on the face of Pakistan.
According to official sources, India’s Ambassador to Qatar and Foreign Secretary Harshvardhan Shringla will attend the signing of the historic peace deal between the US and Taliban much to the dismay of Pakistan. The deal would allow for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. The US has lost over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001. Economic Times reports that India has been invited by the Qatar government for the ceremony where the deal will be signed and Indian ambassador P Kumaran will attend it.
Afghanistan has continued to remain the primary focus of the USA as Trump is determined to follow through on his promise of completely withdrawing its forces from the war-ravaged Afghanistan. India has had apprehensions related to the US leaving Afghanistan, however, Trump has been keen to manage an exit for the US after over 18 years of war in the region. Despite the tough posture on Pakistan by Trump, he was limited in his ability to punish Pakistan as the US required Pakistan’s co-operation to ensure a safe passage for the US Armed forces. Once, USA is out of Pakistan, the latter is of no use to Trump and he may well decide to side with India in taking back PoK as hinted by Subramanian Swamy on Twitter.
I have now a solid hint that if India agrees to to defend Afghanistan against terrorists like Taliban, and thus allow US to withdraw its troops, then US will side with India in taking back PoK
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 31, 2019
It is important to note that the Taliban in the past had urged for peace talks with India. Why would a terrorist organisation like Taliban beg for peace with India? Taliban knows that ever since it was uprooted by the US in Afghanistan, India has gone on to increase it’s foothold in Afghanistan and enjoys tremendous goodwill and soft power in the country. Taliban knows that India has come a long way since the Kandahar high-jacking and the multiple surgical strikes in PoK is a testament to that. The rooting out of terrorists from Kashmir and successfully hunting down of every terrorist involved in carrying out attacks in India has apprised Taliban of India’s strength and the consequences if India puts its boots in Afghanistan. The first batch of Rafale fighter jets is set to be delivered in September, which would undoubtedly be the most advanced jets in the region.
Presently Indians enjoys tremendous goodwill in Afghanistan thanks to its development projects and unflinching support to the Afghan government against the Taliban. India is the only stakeholder in Afghanistan who is truly committed to ensuring peace in Afghanistan.
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan recently experienced a major heartburn during the historic visit of Donald Trump to India. US President Trump’s visit to India was a highly popular and successful. To put things into perspective, according to the BARC’s data, 46 million across India watched Namaste Trump event in Ahmedabad across 180 channels with a viewership of 11.69 billion viewing minutes as the Modi-Trump bonhomie was for the world to see. Imran Khan’s state of panic is justified.