Mullah Zaeef the ex-Afghan ambassador to Pakistan has been seen visiting GOA and other places in India. It is clear that he is not visiting as a tourist. He was handed over to CIA by government of Pakistan in 2001. After his release from jail by the CIA after four years in 2005, he wrote a very interesting book “My life with the Taliban”. In his book he has given details of his arrest in Pakistan and the harsh treatment meted out to him especially his handing over to CIA. This book has been translated in Urdu and published in Pakistan. What Mullah Zaeef has expressed in his book and now his visit to India should clear the minds of those, who are still hoping to use Afghanistan as strategic depth against any aggression from India.
Zia ul Haq’s so-called jihad ‘imported’ over 3 million Afghan Refugees in 1979, their numbers have increased manifold ever since. Lahore is infested with Afghans, which has changed the social and economic life of the city. With these Afghans milling around in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore you can well imagine where are we headed?
At this point we need a leader, who should be brave and has the courage to steer us away from the present mess and not push us into a similar situation as in 1971.
We should revisit our relations with Afghanistan and Taliban if we want peace in South Asia. Pakistan needs to do some real soul searching and take remedial measures before it is too late in the view of the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014.
MUHAMMAD SHAHBAZ THUTHAAL,
Lahore, November 18.