While an Afghan High Peace Council delegation, led by former president Burhanuddin Rabbani of the erstwhile Northern Alliance, travelled to Pakistan to discuss with the civil and military leadership, the ongoing negotiations with the Taliban, Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna was in Kabul doing his own influence peddling.
The Afghan reconciliation process, he said "should be Afghan-led, inclusive and transparent." Considering that the Afghans are a fiercely independent people, it is hard to imagine that they would allow outsiders to dictate the terms of peace. And of course, the process ought to be inclusive. Since the Pushtoons - some with suspected links with Pakistan - are the main party fighting the foreign forces, they dominate the peace negotiations. But it goes without saying that the interests of other ethnic communities must also receive due attention.
Krishna's worry though was about Pakistan's influence on the negotiations process as he said "any external interference in the reintegration process would be detrimental both for its success and for the future of a democratic, stable, pluralistic and prosperous Afghanistan." The assertion is reflective of New Delhi's intention to make, yet again, that unfortunate country a battleground for a proxy war. India has a deep economic and strategic interest in Afghanistan. It is engaged in the construction of various infrastructure projects, worth well over one billion dollars. It has also been trying to help Kabul overcome food shortages.
The strongest argument Indian officials and others make to claim a right for it to influence the political future of Afghanistan is that since New Delhi has invested so much money, it is qualified to seek a role in Afghan affairs. This is as flimsy an argument as can be. Afghanistan is not a piece of real estate that anyone can buy with cash and material support. It is an independent nation, which must decide its own future. India, nonetheless, can expect to get a favourable treatment on the basis of goodwill generated through good work.
The case of Pakistan is a bit different. In many ways it is unlike any other neighbour of Afghanistan. It has not only a 2,640-km long border with that country, but the people in the tribal areas, many with blood ties, share physical space with one another. Millions of Afghans fleeing the war have taken refuge in this country. As many as 140,000 Pakistani troops guard the border areas to keep the Afghan fighters from using them as sanctuaries. Yet Pakistan's efforts have met with only partial success because of the porous nature of the border and the ethnic ties that bind the Pushtoon tribes on either side.
The blowback from the war has claimed the lives of nearly 32,000 Pakistanis. America's last Afghan war left Pakistan with a huge mess of militants without a cause and a violent Kalashnikov and drug culture. This one has produced a dangerous radicalisation in society. In short, Pakistan is directly affected by what happens in Afghanistan. It is only fair, therefore, for Islamabad to want to see a 'friendly' government in a post-war Afghanistan.
Nonetheless, it needs to abandon the idea of seeking 'strategic depth' in that country. Similarly, India should stop vying with its old rival for influence in Afghanistan. Doing so would be a recipe for trouble for the entire region. All neighbours of Afghanistan must work towards bringing peace and stability to that war-devastated country.