By Zabihullah Tamanna
KABUL, Afghanistan
Years of diplomatic tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan, mostly on the issue of cross-border insurgency, appears to have begun softening since Afghan President Ashraf Ghani took office in September.
While war-weary Afghans have welcomed the change in relations, they are still unsure about whether the governments can deliver on their promises of peace and reconstruction after decades of violence.
“I was born in conflict and have never seen a wide-ranging security during my time life,” said 38-year-old Kabul resident Haji Hamid Amani, adding that Afghan statesmen whispering about a "so-called deal with the Taliban" did not fill him with confidence.
“The country's critically insecure situation will remain the worst like before, as there has been much done to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table but the rebels know nothing except killing, tyranny and dictatorship,” said Amani, an ex-student of Kabul University’s Faculty of Law.
He points towards the Taliban's continued attacks across the country, which have targeted both security forces and civilians, as evidence that the militants are not ready for peace talks.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai had previously described the Taliban as "our disgruntled Taliban brothers," when inviting them to talks while the new government led by Ghani has also called for them to enter into a peace dialogue.
“I never believed the so-called national unity government could succeed in restoring peace through entering into negotiations with the brutal insurgents,” said 45-year-old Hamid, another Kabul resident, claiming that Ghani was repeating Karzai’s mistakes in calling for peace with the Taliban.
“My wife is deeply concerned for our children's security when they go to school,” said Hamid, adding that he would leave for other countries if could. “But there is no other choice but to either die or be injured like my father and old brother, who were the victims of such meaningless war.”
Hamid, the only earner in his family of five, said he has become fed up with his life, but said there is “no choice except complying with fate."
Afghanistan's geographic location and vast natural resources mean post-war reconstruction could lead to major achievements in economic, social and cultural spheres but insecurity remains a barrier, making the relationship with Pakistan vital.
In the past, Afghanistan has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban but, in a recent statement, Ghani commended Pakistan for increased co-operation. He also drew a comparison between the threat Taliban militants pose to both countries, highlighting the Peshawar school siege that killed more than 130 children in December.
Since the siege, Pakistan has adopted a significantly harsher stance against the Taliban and it appears to have been a turning point in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as both countries pledged to support each other in combating militancy.
Ghani is approaching the topic on several fronts; alongside talks with Pakistan, he has met with Chinese officials and those from the foreign forces still stationed in Afghanistan. He has also called on Afghanistan's religious leaders to "raise the voice of peace from the Masjid's tribunes" and met with both militant leaders and civil society activists in recent weeks.
Basir Faizi, a civil society activist who recently met with Ghani, said the “Taliban has shown the green light, without offering any preconditions.”
Pakistani officials, including army chief General Raheel Sharif, have frequently visited Kabul and promised a joint effort against their shared enemy.
