Chapter 3 continues…

Some analysts believe that the Taliban cannot function effectively without ISI support. Even Senior Taliban leaders believe that until the Taliban returns to Afghanistan, there is no choice but to endure Pakistani control.6 Some believe that Pakistan cannot afford to allow the Taliban to be independent of ISI control as such a situation could risk a potentially hostile organisation to turn against them. Many Taliban commanders have openly threatened such consequences but have been privately chastised by Taliban leaders to maintain peace.

CIVIL-MILITARY DISCONNECT

However, it is important to note that despite the leading role played by the military establishment in shaping Pakistan’s Afghan policy, the civilian leadership has time and again attempted to enforce its thinking on the issue. During Zia’s tenure, his Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo differed with the military dictator who was against Najibullah retaining his position in Kabul. Zia wanted an interim government dominated by the ‘Peshawar Seven.’

Junejo managed to outflank Zia by getting an all-party conference to his side and compelled the military dictator to sign the Geneva Accords in April 1988. Benazir Bhutto, who took over as Prime Minister (November 1988- October 1990) after Zia’s regime was inclined to let Najibullah stay as interim President after the Geneva Accords but the military was not. President Ishaq Khan favoured the military’s plan and compelled Bhutto to accede to it. Bhutto ran into another confrontation with the army over supporting Gulbudin Hekmatyar during the civil war. She and her interior minister, Nasirullah Babar, were more inclined to support the emerging force of the Taliban.

The differences with the army, however, did not rest after it abandoned Hekmatyar for the Taliban and wanted Pakistan to militarily and otherwise, support the new force to capture Afghanistan. Bhutto had a different view—she was not in favour of strengthening Taliban but wanted to use the Taliban to create a coalition government in Afghanistan which she believed would bring stability in the country as well as protect Pakistan’s long- term strategic interests.

To be continued…