Afrasiab Khattak’s Discourse – Undermining Afghan Peace Process on Cards?

 Afrasiab Khattak, a prominent Pashtun Rights Activist and a staunch supporter of PTM, is well known for being critical of the state of Pakistan. For that, he adopts a two-fold approach.

 At the domestic level, he targets state policies in terms of resource allocation, and by exploiting the ‘Pashtun Card’ to amplify Pashtun human rights, he seeks international attention. Moreover, as the date for US withdrawal draws nearer, his allegations devoid of evidence to implicate Pakistan’s Intelligence agencies appear to be increasing. Is he purposefully attempting to sabotage the US-Afghan peace efforts of which Pakistan has been a part of?

 By generating such discourse which is proliferated by SAATH Forum members, is Afrasiab Khattak trying to influence Biden Administration’s policy towards Afghanistan? Here it is necessary to consider the following factors to comprehend the web of enthno-communal fault-lines which are being deliberately manipulated by such people to engineer ethno-communal conflicts which will ultimately threaten the stability of both Pakistan and Afghanistan especially when Afghanistan is treading towards an era of peace and development.

In order to provoke Pakistanis, he adopts ethnic discourse patterns propagating:

1) All Afghans are Pashtuns: In fact, Afghanistan’s national anthem recognizes 14 ethnic groups, mainly: Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Balochis, Turkmens, Nooristanis, Pamiris, Arabs, Gujars, Brahuis, Qizilbash, Aimaq, and Pashai; however, people like Afrasiab Khattak preach otherwise. (https://thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/562822-interview-afrasiab-khattak-pashtuns-victims-terrorism)

2) All Pashtuns hate Pakistan: In contrast, “Pashtun Diplomacy” has remained instrumental in the bilateral Pak-Afghan relationship; initiation of the peace process resulting in a peace deal between Taliban, Afghan Govt and US is enough evidence to shatter Afrasiyab depiction of otherwise made-up reality.

By doing so, it appears the aim is to wedge a difference between: 

1) Pashtun vs Pakistan 

2) Afghanistan vs Pakistan FM Qureshi’s statement expressing concerns that surging violence can potentially undermine the peace process reported by DAWN has been purposely misinterpreted in the tweet.

3) Pashtun vs Pashtun; here, Pro-Pakistani Pashtuns are dubbed as Gul Khans and Project Taliban. Interestingly, he blames Pakistan State for “Project Taliban”, on the other side he provides a ‘rationale’ for the US not neutralizing Taliban as he considers them useful to counter China’s influence in Afghanistan. (https://tolonews.com/opinion-166976)

Therefore, not only the present-day facts, but also the historical data suggest how falsified the narrative is which is being propagated by Afrasiab Khattak and SAATH Forum members to engineer newly elected Biden Administration’s policy for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

To keep the record straight, it is essential to mention that during PM Imran Khan’s tenure, several important figures have visited Pakistan from Afghanistan; key figures like Ashraf Ghani and Gulbeddin Hekmatyar are both ethnic Pashtuns representing different parties in Afghanistan. Additionally, Pakistan has also reached out to other ethnic groups in Afghanistan, like the Tajiks and Hazaras, as has been evidenced by the recent visits to Pakistan of Dr. Abdul Latif Pedram (Tajik) Ustad Karim Khalili (Hazara), Abdullah Abdullah (Tajik), and Ahmad Wali Massoud (Tajik). 

Similarly, Afrasiyab’s claims that Pakistan is simply using Afghanistan as a proxy seems unreasonable in light of the recent developments between Pakistan and Afghanistan such as the recent announcements from the Pakistani government to build universities in Afghanistan, and offer scholarships to Afghan Youth.

Considering all these facts, the question is if Arasaib Khattak & Co are undermining the in-process peace process by exploiting the Pashtun Card to initiate enthno-communal conflicts in Afghanistan? If yes, on whose agenda?