US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan will be a reward for Pakistan, says Afghan former Afghan intelligence chief

Kabul: – The demand that the United States should not withdraw its military from Afghanistan is becoming more assertive in Afghanistan. Rahmatullah Nabil, former chief of Afghan intelligence, warned that the decision taken by the existing US President, Donald Trump, could prove to be a boon for Pakistan. Nabil claimed that as soon as the US military is withdrawn from the country, Pakistan will set up new terrorist training camps. A few days ago, one of the Pakistani leaders had criticised that Pakistan and its infamous intelligence agency, ISI, were using the Taliban as a weapon.

Negotiations are being held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, between representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban. Pakistan foreign ministry has welcomed the second phase of these negotiations. Pakistan claims that these negotiations will lead to peace and stability in Afghanistan. But Rahmatullah Nabil, the Afghan leader and former intelligence chief, accused that these Pakistani claims are only a façade created for the international community.

In his article written for a US magazine, Nabil said that neither the negotiations with Taliban representatives nor the Pakistani interference are going to establish peace and stability in Afghanistan. Nabil expressed concerns that although the Taliban participates in the talks, the negotiations will prove to be more beneficial for Pakistan than Afghanistan. At the same time, Nabil accused that since the time, the United States has raised the issue of war on terror in Afghanistan, Pakistan has only reaped benefits from the situation.

Since the last 20 years, Pakistan has smartly played with the Republican and Democrat administrations in the United States. There are many deficiencies in the talks with the Taliban. Still, Pakistan is vying for the success of the negotiations for its benefits. Nabil claimed that most importantly, the Taliban representatives participating in the peace talks and the Taliban commanders perpetrating violence are not connected in any way. Therefore, even if the Qatar negotiations are successful and the Taliban representatives assure to stop violence, it will not be implemented. In this scenario, if the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, it will be a boon for Pakistan.

Pakistan will initiate its efforts to strengthen its grip in Afghanistan, with the help of the Taliban, when the US military is out of the country. At the same time, Pakistan will destabilise the country further by setting up terrorist training camps. Nabil accused that having an unstable Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest, which is Pakistan’s final goal.

Pakistan will go to the extent of exposing information, regarding some top Al-Qaeda leaders, to create a façade that the talks were successful. Al-Qaeda terrorists may either be killed or arrested. Pakistan will try to increase its importance in the war on terror and take efforts to gain the confidence of the United States. Nabil inferred in the article that it would be easy for Pakistan to interfere in Afghanistan in such a situation. A civil war, like Syria, will be sparked in Afghanistan, following the US military withdrawal. Nabil also warned that the conflicts would start between the Afghan military and Taliban, IS and other Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organisations.

Meanwhile, the Afghan leaders and population are demanding, since the last few months, that the United States should not withdraw its military from Afghanistan and should not agree for a ceasefire with the Taliban. The Afghan leaders too are claiming that Pakistan will take control of Afghanistan by using Taliban. A few days ago, Afghan Vice President Saleh accused Pakistan of supplying arms and ammunition to the Taliban. Pakistan intends to dominate Afghanistan for military advantage in this region. Former Pakistan lawmaker Khattak had charged that therefore, Pakistan is using the Taliban as a weapon.