During a public lecture at the School of Public Policy at CEU, author and journalist Abubakar Siddique emphasized regional cooperation as the best remedy against extremism and terrorism. He noted that it would also go a long way toward resolving the complex conflict formation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Pashtuns, who live in the heart of Asia, straddle two states: Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to Siddique, they have been the main victims of years of wars and conflicts between the two countries, and of interventions from outside powers.
"The history of the Pashtuns has been written mostly by outsiders," he told CEU students and faculty on March 7. This is one of the reasons that Siddique, who was born and raised in the tribal areas spanning the two countries, wrote The Pashtun Question: The Unresolved Key to the Future of Pakistan and Afghanistan (London: Hurst and Company, 2014).
Siddique outlined the long and complicated history of Pakistan and Afghanistan, drawing on his knowledge and experience as a Pashtun who grew up in the area, as well as that of a journalist. He engaged in extensive scholarly research for his book. "I did my best," he said, "to take a neutral and informed perspective."
In his introductory remarks, George Soros Visiting Practitioner Chair Anders Fange said of Siddique, "Anyone working in this area knows this man. No one knows more about this region than he does." He went on to recommend Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Gandhara website, edited by Siddique, as being essential for anyone wanting to keep abreast of the fast-paced, dynamic developments in the two countries.
Siddique challenged the stereotypes about Pashtuns who have been stigmatized, especially in recent years, because most Taliban members and leaders were Pashtun. "The Taliban were not fighting for the Pashtuns. They were motivated by what they view as their religious ideology, not national interests," he said.
Siddique also said that although the Taliban were accused of being Pashtun nationalists, "they never owned this claim." Siddique and Fange agreed that the Taliban did enjoy some public support at first, but "you must remember," Fange said, "that in the early 1990s there was lawlessness and complete chaos. The Taliban brought order to very chaotic times." He went on to note that Taliban rule in rural areas where many Pashtuns live was not nearly as harsh as it was in the cities, particularly the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Siddique said there have been several missed opportunities to resolve the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. He said that great powers and regional states failed to take advantage of these opportunities, adding that after the demise of Afghanistan's Taliban regime in late 2001, the international coalition chose to focus on the military aspect and ignored reconciliation among all Afghans and the need to resolve the country's conflicts with its neighbors. "They did nothing to address the Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship," he said.
Siddique advocates a regional cooperative solution for the area focused on economic collaboration. He is optimistic about several initiatives by the Chinese, who he said are the single largest investor in Afghanistan. China's "One Belt, One Road" project, for example, represents a massive investment in the region and could, according to Siddique, be the catalyst for broader cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The goal, said Siddique, is to transform Afghanistan from being a center of conflict to one of regional cooperation and trade. He seconded leading peace scholar Barnett Rubin in suggesting that the China/Taiwan model could be replicated in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Siddique explained that although China and Taiwan have unresolved political differences, they are major trading partners, demonstrating that economic collaboration is possible in the absence of full agreement on geopolitical issues. Siddique went on to observe that Pakistan and Afghanistan face many of the same challenges such as growing energy and water shortages. "These problems are not being addressed by either country," he said.
Siddique concluded his presentation saying, "There is no exclusive Pashtun solution to the Pashtun question. We need to see national consensus within Afghanistan and Pakistan and a renewed focus on regional and international cooperation to resolve the conflict in the two countries."
Watch a video of the lecture below.