Kabul has seen very few stable days since US and NATO forces invaded the country. However, Ashraf Ghani’s government, which does not represent popular will at all, blames Pakistan for each and every failure they face in every aspect of governance. Afghanistan has been blaming Pakistan for a long time for supporting Taliban and other militant organisations. These are mere allegations as no concrete proofs have ever been presented or shared with Pakistan.

This Sunday, two Pakistani diplomats went missing on Afghan soil. Pakistan has not blamed anyone for this yet but has requested the relevant Afghan authorities to make every possible effort for the safe recovery of the missing diplomats. Pakistan is waiting for all the information related to the case at hand. The way Pakistan is handling the matter is an example of how issues can and should be settled between countries, without aggression. Had the roles been reversed, Afghan officials would have made sure to embarrass Pakistan internationally.

Coming back to the allegations that are often levelled against Pakistan for sponsoring terrorists, if it had been Pakistan’s dictation upon which militants act, our diplomats would not have gone missing. Afghanistan is a safe haven for not only Mullah Fazlullah’s network but other sectarian organisations as well. Despite Pakistan’s requests to take action against the network, the Afghan officials have turned a deaf ear to our requests.

Blaming Pakistan for its poor performance, the Afghan government cannot ensure stability for Afghanistan. In fact, there are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration in this regard. The most important of all is a stable economy. Being a land-locked country; Afghanistan is dependent on Pakistan and Iran for its trade. Pakistan has requested Afghan government on numerous occasions to take the trade as a serious option if stability is desired in the region. Enhanced regional trade will strengthen our ties in every walk of life.

Second, the withdrawal of NATO forces was the opportunity militants were waiting for in Afghanistan in order to gain control of territory. This will result in an accelerated offensive against the Afghan government and security apparatus that are working there. In order to stop these militant organisations from carrying out operations, the Afghan government can ask for assistance from Pakistan. The blame game will not solve anything. But cooperating and helping each other will, indeed, help. But first things first, our diplomats must be protected, and Afghanistan must soften its posture if it desires peace.