17 April 2022, NIICE Commentary 7810
Dr. Rajkumar Singh
The India-Afghan relations, once again, derailed when Taliban, a hitherto Terror group transformed itself into a political party and taking benefit of the chaos and uncertainty prevailing in the country, assumed political power in the country in the year 1996. Prior to this India had a good relation and mutual understanding with the governments of the day, but New Delhi never accepted Taliban as a political force and always criticized its violent activities across the Afghanistan and beyond. In 1996, Taliban took control over three-fourth of the country’s territory and established the First Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and transferred the capital from Kabul to Kandahar. During this period, Taliban was against the Northern Alliance militia, officially known as United Islamic National Front which stood for the salvation of Afghanistan and operated in the country between 1996-2001 during the reign of Taliban. This front was originally established by two key leader’s vis-a-vis President Burhanuddin and his Defence minister Ahmad Shah Massoud. But by 2000, leaders of several ethnic groups joined the Alliance which included Karim Khalili, Abdul Rashid Dostum, Abdullah Abdullah, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Abdul Qadir, Asif Mohseni, Amrullah Saleh, and others. Throughout the period of the first regime of Taliban, the Northern Alliance fought a defensive war against Afghanistan and they received support from India, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Israel, Turkmenistan, United States as well as Uzbekistan, and simultaneously Taliban was heavily backed by Pakistan army and Inter Services Intelligence. Further, the United States of America invaded Afghanistan to provide support to the Northern Alliance and in a two-month long war, it defeated Taliban, leading to the collapse of its government in December 2001. In the post-Taliban phase, the Northern Alliance was dissolved. While some of its members began supporting the Afghan Interim Administration, some members became part of Karzai’s administration afterwards.
First Inning of Taliban and Afghan Ethnicity
From the year 1996 to 2001 the Taliban ruled a large part, about three-quarters of Afghanistan’s land, implemented a strict type of Sharia or Islamic law in the country and transferred the capital of Afghanistan to Kandahar. The new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was recognised by three nations only —Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. As the country had suffered a lot on account of militancy and gang war in the last two decades, the role of international charitable and development organisations became most significant in war-torn territories to look after the needs of the masses. In this period the most affected were humanitarian aid, supply of food, employment, reconstruction, and other services. The rule of the Taliban and its allies was responsible for the massacre of Afghan civilians as they followed the policy of scorched earth, burnt vast areas of fertile land and destroyed tens of thousands of homes, banned hobbies, but totally failed to check violence and ongoing gang/group wars on Afghanistan soil. All international agencies, including the United Nations reported against the misrule and anti-humanitarian attitude of the Taliban rule for which the Government of Pakistan was also responsible for extending all help—moral, material, financial, logistical and military support. The then regime of Afghanistan, according to several international sources, took help of Pakistani nationals, Pakistani trained fighters, and Al Qaeda militants to fight against the anti-Taliban forces in the country.
In the post-9/11 phase when it became clear that Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda chief, was the mastermind of this human disaster, and that he hid in Afghanistan, the United States of America exerted pressure on the Taliban to hand over the culprit but to no avail. As a result, America began a decisive war against the terror groups in Afghanistan in October 2001, along with joint forces of the UK, Canada, and other NATO member countries. Apart from internal struggle among different militia groups in the country, the main fight remained between Taliban forces on one side and the US-led forces and security forces of the Afghan government on the other. Although efforts for peace in Afghanistan are continuing for the last one decade, and even parties concerned concluded agreements in 2016 and 2020, but due to non-implementation of certain conditions by them they proved futile and peace continued to be a daunting task for all. However, the peace exercises made it amply clear that in today’s context the Taliban has become the number one force or party in the Afghan peace process which no one can deny or overlook.
Foreign Policy of Taliban
During the first regime of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, most decisions were made on the Pashtun tribal jirga which is believed to be based on the early Islamic model. Scholar Rashid had described the jirga as a secret society run by Kandaharis which is mysterious, secretive, and dictatorial. In fact, Taliban does not believe in elections as one of its spokesman stated that the Sharia does not allow politics, political parties, or salary but only food, clothes, shoes, and weapons to officers and soldiers. He further stated that the Taliban wanted citizens to lead life as the Prophet lived 1400 years ago and their aim is to recreate that life and times for the people of Afghanistan. But after consulting the jirga Taliban’s leader declared himself as ‘Amir al-Mu’minin’ or Commander of the Faithful and instead of elections, leaders’ legitimacy came from the oath of allegiance, in imitation of the Prophet and the first four Caliphs. In this way by converting himself as a messenger of the Faithful, Mullah Mohammed Omar became ‘all in all’ in the Taliban administration. No consultation was required for him and the government would implement only the decisions he agreed upon. Similar to the rule of early Muslim governance, there was a wide lack of state institutions or a methodology for command and control. There were no press releases, policy statements, or press conferences and people in general remained unaware about their leaders’ doings. It is also pertinent to note that the first government of Taliban was diplomatically recognised by only four countries which include Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Turkmenistan, and Saudi Arabia who also helped them with substantial aid.
Post-Taliban Foreign Policy of Afghanistan
Following the US invasion in the post-9/11 phase, the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan collapsed in December 2001. The Bonn Agreement, officially known as the Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-Establishment of Permanent Government Institutions made large arrangements for the setting up of an Afghan Interim Authority (AIA), with the help of 30 warlords which worked as non-state actors. They met under the UN auspices in Bonn, Germany. Soon after this, India offered intelligence and other forms of support for the coalition forces and established diplomatic relations with the newly established democratic government. In the changed circumstances, the new government under the leadership of Hamid Karzai started re-establishing diplomatic relations with various countries who had good diplomatic relations with Afghanistan before the Taliban gained control of the country and subsequent civil war. Since then, the new government of Afghanistan focused on securing continued assistance for rebuilding the economy, infrastructure and military set-up of the country and, in line, it maintained close ties and understanding with India, North America, European Union, South Korea, Japan, Australia, China, Russia and the Middle East. This positive trend of Afghan foreign policy initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continuously promoted Afghanistan’s national interest till the fall of Kabul and installation of the second Taliban government on 15 August 2021.
Dr. Rajkumar Singh is Professor and Head, Department of Political Science and Dean of Social Sciences at B.N. Mandal University, India.
