by Rajkumar Singh 14 May 2022
Earlier alike, the Pak-Afghan relations witnessed several ups and downs around the Soviet takeover of Kabul as by the time society of Afghanistan had already been divided between pro and anti-Russian forces not only in Kabul but in countryside too and assassination of Daud in the midst of Saur Revolution as well as installation of People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), under which Noor Mohammed Taraki was designated as President, Hafiz Ullah Amin as Prime Minister and Babrak Karmal as deputy Prime Minister of the country. The new ruler renamed the country as Democratic Republic of Afghanistan but positioning and strengthening of Communists in Afghan was a clear and deep threat for Pakistan as Islamabad considered Kabul-Delhi-Moscow as one whose ramification was dangerous for Islamabad. In Afghanistan too, the gradual implementations of land reforms and end of the clergy system had resulted in large-scale protests and rioting in cities, towns and, countryside areas of the nation along with religious/Islamic forces who were influenced by the currents of Iranian Islamic Revolution. Despite taking all anti-communist forces together and guiding them against the pro-Communist government of Afghan, Pakistan was really anxious about its future as by the time it was also compelled to bear the burden of Afghan refugees who began coming after the Saur Revolution and their number reached above 150,000, casting a dark shadow on its economy. As Kabul itself was badly disturbed since long and internal rivalry as well as internal dissension were on rise, in September 1979, another coup took place in which President Taraki was killed and Hafizullah Amin became new ruler of the country. As the new ruler was less subservient to Moscow, it resulted in his execution and installation of Babrak Karmal with Soviet occupation on December 27, 1979, which opened a new chapter in Pak-Afghan relations, having multiple ramifications.
Pakistan policy and Soviet occupation
Soviet intervention and installation of a puppet government in Kabul further deteriorated Pak-Afghan relations almost for the decade1980s when Pakistan with heavy US support created a powerful militia group which contained the citizens of about forty Muslim countries and gave tooth and nail fight to the Soviet Union in both cities and countryside of the country. With the development Islamabad was most disturbed as it found USSR, a super power of the time around its bordering area and close to Khyber Pass, the traditional gateway of invasions of South Asia from north. In Pakistan’s view, Kremlin expansion was seen as a calculated move more than a help to sustain Karmal’s government and soon Soviet Red Army spread on all sensitive points. In the circumstances, Pakistan was left with three reasonable options: a. to accept the event as the fait accompli, b. to provides full support to the freedom fighters resisting against the Soviet invasion, and c. to mobilise international community to put pressure on Soviet Union along with covert support to the resistance forces. Finally, after considering all options, Pakistan decided as one former foreign secretary Abdul Sattar held the view that since Soviet invasion had provoked a deep sense of alarm in the country, Kabul had lost its status of buffer state, Soviet Union is a super power with whom Islamabad cannot afford confrontation, Pakistan went in favour of middle course and had raised a low-pitched voice of concern and protest. In addition to political deadlocks and complexities, following the invasion a large number of Afghan refugees along with foreign nationals flown to Pakistan through Durand Line and other sources and many of them never returned to their homeland, married local women and settled in the country permanently, making relations between the two remained tense for the whole of the decade 1980s. The Afghan ruler Babrak Karmal refused to improve relations with Islamabad as the latter never recognised the government of PDPA in Afghanistan.
Soviet invasion and US-Pak relations
The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in the last week of December 1979, increased Pakistan’s security threat many folds as a super power of the world came on its door step and Islamabad began searching options of its defence. As it was the high time of Cold War between the two super powers-USA and USSR, Washington came forward more for resistance of Russian growing power in the region than for the rescue of Pakistan. Islamabad, being hard pressed by viewing coming dangers and owing to sheer compulsions allowed the United States of America to use its territory for unfolding of proxy war against the Communist expansion. Jimmy Carter, the American President at the time of invasion, offered a military and economic help worth of 400 million US dollar in next two years, bur Islamabad refused it saying insufficient, although, it was not so serious matter for both and wide-ranging cooperation started between intelligence agencies of Islamabad’s (ISI) and American (CIA). The planning and execution of Soviet resistance in Afghanistan made Pakistan a prime training centre of over three lakhs foreign mujahideen fighters who came from about 40 Muslim countries of the world, mostly from Arabs, who began crossing into Afghanistan on a daily basis and waged proxy war with Soviet-backed forces of Kabul government. Many of the Muslims who came from outside settled in Pakistan and got married locally which include radical Muslims of Saudi Arabia led by Al-Qaeda, Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and prisoners from Arab countries.
Initiation of Soviet withdrawal
In post-intervention phase Pakistan, along with the United states of America and anti-Soviet forces of the world invested its full energy, time and resources to oust Kremlin from Afghanistan and US too, poured millions and billions of dollars in the name of aid and assistance over the years in full swimming particularly when Ronald Reagan became the new President of America in early 1981 and Pakistan began getting all possible helps on the part of a super power. American funds were mostly given to seven groups of Sunni Muslims based in Peshawar, Hezb-i-Islami of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who was believed to be a trust worthy and a deserving resistance group, while arms, ammunitions and equipment received from Washington were provided to Mujahideen through Pakistan’s ISI. Proxy war against the Soviet Union waged by USA with active support of Pakistan made Afghanistan a playground of global powers with no chance of victory for either side in spite of wasting huge resources. After 8 years of continuing active war, in November 1986, Soviet leader Gorbachev, during his visit to India, realised the futility of war in Afghanistan and gave a way to diplomacy to withdraw from Kabul. In response, Islamabad also became active and finally, on April 14, 1988, the Peace Accord was signed in Geneva between Pakistan and Afghanistan in which the two superpowers -USA and USSR became its co-guarantors. The signed Peace Accord made withdrawal provisions clear which include; a. all Soviet troops will leave Afghanistan within nine months and the half of them to be removed in first three months, b.it called for a ban on cross border activities, c. both super powers ensured one-year moratorium on arms deliveries, and d. in case of violation of provision of arms moratorium, both super powers would have right to arm their allies. Withdrawal of Soviet forces and its effects opened a new chapter in Pak-Afghan relations.