Dum dum dee dum dum...<g>
Musharref....you gotta learn to tidy up your act.
Hunnybunny don't we pay him to to LISTEN, not to THINK ?!
Pashtuns plan Afghan future
The two-day gathering of Afghan exiles who met to speak about Afghanistan's future in Peshawar this week concluded with an agreement to convene a Loya Jirga - a traditional Afghan assembly.
The high-profile meeting of clerics, academics and commanders seems to be little more than an attempt by Pakistan to monopolise moves for a future administration in the beleaguered nation.
Pir Sayed Ahmad Gailani convened the meeting
The absence of minority ethnic groups, including representatives from the Northern Alliance, at the all-Pashtun meeting only goes to confirm this and renders any plans to date impossible.
This came as no surprise after religious leader Pir Sayed Ahmad Gailani, the force behind the meeting, said the Alliance would not be involved.
The pro-Zahir Shah cleric is widely expected to head up any Afghan "coalition" government.
No co-operation
The divisions among Afghan opposition parties are drawn along ethnic lines, with other so-called moderate Pashtun commanders vowing not to co-operate with the United Front, as the Northern Alliance is often known.
We don't know what the US is doing with the opposition at the moment, but the longer the situation is going on, the bigger the role the Northern Alliance will play
Afghan affairs commentator Olivier Roy
Chief amongst this group was the executed opposition commander Abdul Haq who had recently told the BBC he despised the Taleban, but could not see any place for the Alliance in Afghanistan's future.
The fracture signals to any interim administration could stir sensibilities into a renewed power struggle.
For its part the Northern Alliance will be unwilling to participate with "back-seat drivers" in Peshawar which it sees as induced by Pakistan to form a coalition to seize power.
Involving non-Pashtuns
But nation builders should be aware that Afghanistan's most successful Pashtun administrations have always confirmed the important role of non-Pashtuns.
Afghan affairs commentator Olivier Roy saw the event as part of an attempt by Pakistan to undermine the developing relationship between the US and the Northern Alliance.
"Pakistan is ready to find moderate Pashtuns providing it is in charge," he said.
"We don't know what the US is doing with the opposition at the moment, but the longer the situation is going on, the bigger the role the Northern Alliance will play.
"And the US will become tougher with Pakistan."
Pakistan meddling
The scenario is reminiscent of the first collective meeting of mujahideen commanders inside Afghanistan in 1987 who demanded that they, rather than Afghans in Peshawar, dictate the political movement.
Mujahideen field commanders were indignant that most support was going to leaders based in Pakistan who bickered with each other for Pakistan's favour.
But Pakistan's manipulation of anti-Soviet groups and its policy at playing them off each other created widened ethnic divisions.
Many fear that Pakistan's continuous meddling in Afghan affairs will make any potential opening for peace all the more difficult. |
