Afghanistan in recent times has been facing a humanitarian crisis, the situation of which is going to be worse as constantly warned by the UN relief agencies. Afghan economy was dependent on foreign aid, since August 15, the stoppage of foreign aid was a tough task for a country like Afghanistan which is heavily dependent on foreign aid for its survival. Few measures have been taken yet these are insufficient and more is needed to be done.
Biden administration has publically said that it is committed to helping the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and announced unfreezing of $3.5 billion out of $7 billion. During this scenario, other countries and the UN are eager to take a much bigger role in trying to avoid an economic disaster in Afghanistan. One of the problems is that there is not a consensus within the US government about the best path forward in Afghanistan. The Biden administration has a focus on the Ukraine crisis right at the moment that has made it difficult for the Biden administration to make some sort of proper plan of development in Afghanistan.
There is a rising resentment against the US in Afghanistan as people link most of their ills with the US which is not helping the Afghan economy after releasing its frozen assets. The US after August 15, 2021, adopted those policies as a result of which ordinary Afghans are suffering, Taliban overall do not seem to be severely damaged by those policies but the local population. Recently, international humanitarian agencies in an open letter to the UN has warned that sanctions would kill more Afghan than the war has done.
Pakistan has been advocating for the efforts to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as increasing refugees will be a major challenge for Pakistan which is already hosting millions of Afghan refugees for decades. People having no income or lack of employment would force them to flee from their areas for alternatives. Few refugees were triggered by war but more would be through this economic conflict. An economic collapse in Afghanistan could also usher violence, lawlessness, and chaos that could have an impact across the border. Terrorist organizations are aware of the fact that the Taliban lacks the tools to stabilize the economy.
Pakistan has always been talking about the suffering and the plight of people in Afghanistan who are faced with huge economic and humanitarian crises. Pakistan has extended all possible efforts to help the situation in Afghanistan. Pakistan allowed India to send humanitarian aid to Afghanistan through Pakistan, this is a clear message to the whole World that Pakistan can go to any extent to help the people of Afghanistan. Allowing Indian aid to Afghanistan through Pakistan is a rare gesture from Pakistan as Pakistan has suspended transit trade with India in 2019 over the abrogation of article 370 in IIOJK.
US special representative for Afghanistan Thomas West acknowledged the significance of Pakistan in the future trajectory of post-US Afghanistan, further adding that the US has no option but to work with Pakistan as far as Afghanistan is concerned. . Pakistan and the US have some interest in Afghanistan i.e. political settlement, stability, economic development and denial of any heaven for the terrorists. Western World knows that Pakistan did have a kind of leverage over the Taliban and it can play a constructive role in Afghanistan. On the other hand, India has been backing terrorism against Pakistan from Afghan soil, India might exploit the gap between the Taliban’s economic condition influenced by lack of funds and the aims of the terrorists.
Pakistan has been advocating for the engagement of regional and international countries with the Taliban interim government. Through the Pak-Afghan cooperation Forum, constant humanitarian aid from Pakistan to Afghanistan is being provided. Pakistan has also hosted an extraordinary OIC Summit on Afghanistan which was the first step of the World’s engagement with the Taliban in which assistance for the interim Afghan government was announced which is yet to be initiated.
This is the time the Western World needs to reassess their policies towards Afghanistan, at the same time Taliban have to address the concerns of the Western countries about women’s rights and inclusivity. Overall, in this scenario, Pakistan went an extra yard in advocating the need for the assistance of the Afghan government and is practically dispatching regular humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Apart from Pakistan, regional countries have to play their part as the scale of the problem is big with grave implications.
