USA Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in India then in Afghanistan on Saturday, Sunday 20, 21 March in a four countries visit including Japan and South Korea. Afghanistan visit is said to be surprised visit only to discuss the matters related to American pull out from this country as per the agreement with the Taliban that requires US troops out by May 1, 2021.
Austin Lloyd reached Kabul from New Delhi where he shared with Indian media that Biden administration has not made any decision regarding removal of troops from Afghanistan. As long as specific date is concerned , it is the domain of my Boss. President Biden will decide a date when he will feel that we have reached to a responsible end of the conflict.
In New Delhi, Austin had meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Austin on Saturday called India “a great partner”.
Times of India reports that :“Afghanistan was addressed in some detail. Assessments were exchanged on peace process and the ground situation, concerns and interests of regional powers and neighbors.”
Here it is worth mentioning that Hanif Atmar , Foreign Minister of Afghanistan is visiting India on Monday 22 March 2021 for discussions on evolving situation in his country. India had been kept out in 18 March Moscow deliberations on Afghanistan but now has been invited to a UN led dialogue in coming weeks.
While in India, when reporters asked if the Taliban have met the commitments made in their deal with the United States to assure a US withdrawal, he replied “It’s obvious that the level of violence remains pretty high in the country. We would really like to see that violence come down. And I think if it does come down, it can begin to set the conditions for, you know, some really fruitful diplomatic work.”
Regarding Afghanistan, Secretary Austin said in a tweet that he came to Afghanistan to listen and learn. This visit is very helpful and will help inform administration’s decisions about Afghanistan. He tweeted this with a picture in which he is meeting with President Ashraf Ghani.
He had discussion with top USA commander Gen Scott Miller as well.
Biden administration is near to make a decision whether to withdraw troops by May 1 as required in a U.S. agreement with the Taliban or postpone it for not long but for six months at least that is upto Nov 2021. The President finds tough to implement what former President Trump had signed.
Austin, the first member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet to travel to the country, met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Army Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, according to the press pool traveling with Austin.
“I came to Afghanistan to listen and learn,” Austin said in a tweet accompanied by a photo of him meeting Ghani. The visit was “very helpful” and will help inform the administration’s decisions about Afghanistan, he said.
Here in Pakistan, the visits of Secretary of State to India and Afghanistan are being seen with concerns that why he did not visit Pakistan as main stakeholder and contributor in Afghan Peace Process? A section of Indian media also portrayed it as big achievement of India over Pakistan but matter of fact is the things are not like how they are being observed or claimed.
Pakistan is central in peace process and whatever is going on for peace in Afghanistan. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Commander Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan General Austin Scott Miller visited Islamabad Rawalpindi latest on 08 March 2021.
They called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the GHQ .Matters of mutual interest, regional security and ongoing Afghan reconciliation process came under discussion. The visiting delegation greatly appreciated Pakistan’s role in the ongoing peace process. Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, Director General ISI, was also present.
Pakistan has suffered a lot because of war and civil war in Afghanistan so far. Pakistan supports peace in its neighborhood and for that COAS Gen Qamar Javed’s latest speech at National Security Dialogue, 18 March 2021 is new vision for the security and stability in this region of South Asia. COAS sent a message of peace and developing connectivity to India as well when he highlighted the benefits of stability in the region that is key to connect South Asia and Central Asia. He noted that Pakistan gave transit for India Afghanistan Trade. The points elaborated by COAS speak a lot for what Pakistan is offering to Afghanistan and India, both.
This vision of National and Regional Security is enough to express that any country of the region including India is welcome by Pakistan for connectivity to ensure social development but certainly if there is any dispute that needs a just settlement should be resolved first. Indian Illeagally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir dispute has always kept India from building confidence with the neighbors, Pakistan and China that are the major players in connectivity. India is supposed to implement UN resolutions on Jammu Kashmir first to avail the opportunities of connectivity and USA is for sure aware of the fact that if Kashmir is not satisfied , peace in Afghanistan only can never serve the interests of a stable South Asia.
