Ishaq khan, Research institution in Topi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Pakistan may view a weak and destabilized Afghanistan as preferable to a strong, unified Afghan state, especially one led by an ethnic Pashtun-dominated government in Kabul, says a report by the independent and bipartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS)."Pakistan's security services maintain ties to Afghan insurgent groups, most notably the Haqqani Network, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) that has become an official, semi autonomous component of the Taliban."Afghan leaders, along with US military commanders, attribute much of the insurgency's power and longevity either directly or indirectly to Pakistani support. President Trump has accused Pakistan of "housing the very terrorists that we are fighting."It says that "US officials have long identified militant safe havens in Pakistan as a threat to security in Afghanistan, though some Pakistani officials dispute that charge and note the Taliban's increased territorial control within Afghanistan itself," it adds.It says that India's diplomatic and commercial presence in Afghanistan, and the US' "rhetorical support for ita exacerbates Pakistani fears of encirclement.Indian interest in Afghanistan stems largely from India's broader regional rivalry with Pakistan, which impedes Indian efforts to establish stronger and more direct commercial and political relations with Central Asia, the report adds.The report says that President Trump "did encourage India to play a greater role in Afghan economic development", which "along with other Administration messaging, has compounded Pakistani concerns over Indian activity in Afghanistan.""India has been the largest regional contributor to Afghan reconstruction, but New Delhi has not shown an inclination to pursue a deeper defence relationship with Kabul," it adds.On the Afghan peace talks, it notes that insurgent and terrorist groups "have demonstrated considerable capabilities in 2019, throwing into sharp relief the daunting security challenges that the Afghan government and its US and international partners face. At the same time, prospects for a negotiated settlement, driven by direct US-Taliban talks, are uncertain in light of the September 2019 cancellation of those negotiations and the Taliban's continued refusal to talk to the Afghan government.""US policy has sought to force the Taliban to negotiate with the Afghan government by compelling the group to conclude that continued military struggle is futile in light of combined US, NATO, and Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) capabilities."It is still unclear, however, how the Taliban perceives its fortunes; given the group's recent battlefield gains, one observer has said that "the group has little reason to commit to a peace process: it is on a winning streak."It suggests that the US Congress "may examine how the US can leverage its assets, influence, and experience in Afghanistan, as well as those of Afghanistan's neighbours and international organizations, to encourage more equal, inclusive, and effective governance."( With inputs from IANS )

Ishaq KhanFOLLOW

Ishaq khan, Latest News

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday voiced his concerns and said that Pakistan has a hidden agenda behind the opening of the Kartarpur corridor after the neighbouring country released a video welcoming Sikh pilgrims to Kartarpu ...

A Pashtun activist and member of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) has urged Pakistan to end the extra-judicial killings of civilians in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region located in the northeastern part of the ...

Mahesh Bhupathi might refuse to accept that he has been replaced as India's non-playing captain for the Davis Cup tie against Pakistan, but the All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Wednesday made it clear that the decision to name Rohit Rajpal capt ...

Amritsar Municipal Councillor Harpal Singh Verka, the man behind putting hoardings hailing Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for playing a crucial role in the opening of Kartarpur Corridor, has appealed people ...

Two Indian soldiers have been taken into custody from the Jodhpur railway station on charges of sharing crucial information with a Pakistan-based woman ISI agent. ...

US Congressional Report on Afghan Affairs has specifically mentioned that Pakistan has been playing 'an active but negative role' in Afghstan while simultaneously, is fearful of strategic encirclement by India. ...

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday snubbed the controversy over the video song on Kartarpur Corridor released by the Pakistan government. Chandigarh [India], Nov 6 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday snubbed the controversy over the video song on K ...

Pakistan has played an active but negative role in Afghan affairs for decades, and Pakistan's security establishment, fearful of strategic encirclement by India, continues to view the Afghan Taliban as "a relatively friendly and reliably anti-India e ...