Afghanistan deserves a Marshall Plan Plus
Author Name: Dr Zia Ul Haque Shamsi 02 Nov 2021
.jpg)
Perhaps, only Kashmiris and Palestinians have suffered more than Afghans due to prolonged wars on their home soil. Now that the US and NATO forces’ withdrawal has been completed following the Doha Agreement of February 29, 2020, it is time to care for the people of Afghanistan, instead of taking revenge from the incoming Taliban-led government. This is essentially required to avert an impending humanitarian crisis that seems imminent in the absence of a wide-ranging and large scale economic and humanitarian assistance to the new Afghan government.
While there is no denying that Afghanistan has suffered the most in the wars and conflicts over the last four decades, it is necessary to mention that Pakistan’s sufferings in the process are largely ignored, perhaps deliberately. Pakistan was instrumental in supporting Afghan’s resistance against the Soviet’s occupation of Afghanistan starting in December 1979 until February 1989, in concert with the active economic and military support of US-led western allies and Islamic countries. In the process, Pakistan became home to over three million refugees who spread over the entire length and breadth of the country, primarily due to the Zia government’s policies to appease a certain segment of the society. However, Iran successfully confined the refugees in dedicated camps and did not face the issues that Pakistan was faced with due to its faulty policies.
As there was no respite for the people of Afghanistan due to the intervening civil war from 1988 to 2001, another superpower of the time decides to flex its muscles in the most rugged battlegrounds in the world. The US and NATO troops arrive in Afghanistan to punish Al Qaida for their alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks without any worthwhile evidence and investigations. The people of Afghanistan were made to suffer for hosting Al Qaida leadership on their home soil for twenty long years. So were the people of Pakistan, but for a different reason. Pakistan decided to form part of the global efforts against terrorism, which did not go down well with the resistance movement led by the Taliban, who saw their old supporters as the new enemies. Several splinter groups were formed in Pakistan, well supported by the Afghan Taliban as well Indian agencies to wage a hybrid war on Pakistan that often used kinetic means to create chaos in the society.
The US and the NATO troops have left Afghanistan more unsettled than it was before they entered in 2001. The people of Afghanistan now have empty banks, destroyed infrastructure, acute food shortage, nearly no schools and hospitals, and above all an incoming government, which is not acceptable to the global leaders who are responsible for the situation Afghan people are faced with. Taliban do not have the requisite experience to govern this most difficult state in the world that had been to wars and conflicts for over four decades. Moreover, the Taliban government is not recognised primarily for the lack of credibility in the formation of an all-inclusive government as was desired by global players. Even the regional countries who have supported the Taliban in the entire process may be finding it difficult to decide on the recognition part of the process.
Taliban would have to show magnanimity in their approach. They must appreciate that they are not waging a guerrilla war anymore and they are required to deliver the much-expected governance to their people. Otherwise, Afghan soil is littered with unused weapons and everybody owns one, carries one, proudly displays one, and does not shy away from using it.
The Afghan economy is on the verge of collapse due to the non-availability of liquidity to govern the state. The US decision to freeze Afghan assets worth 9 Billion USD is not expected to be cleared in near future. EU has announced one billion Euros as part of the humanitarian assistance fearing an inflow of economic refugees. However, it may not suffice to avert a looming disaster that would bring disastrous consequences not only for the region but for extra-regional players also.
Therefore, it is necessary to understand that the people of Afghanistan are in desperate need of wide-ranging and large scale assistance before the winters set in, which are usually dry, cold and very harsh. Afghan women and children have suffered the most over the last four decades. While the western capital’s concern about women education is highly appreciated, it is incumbent upon them to persuade their lawmakers to ensure that they are provided with essential food, and medicine at this time.
Afghanistan has been systematically destroyed over the last four decades and a number of regional and extra-regional powers have played a part in it. Therefore, it is now the responsibility of each nation and international organisations to pool their resources in a coordinated manner to rebuild the war-torn state from scratch to ensure that Afghan soil is never used again to harm any other sovereign state, including Pakistan which has suffered the most on this account at the hands of TTP.
The writer is the author of the book ‘Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan’. He is presently working as the Director at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS). The article was first published in Daily Times. He can be reached at cass.thinkers@gmail.com
Image Source: Etfa Khurshid Mirza

Recent Articles
- Colombo’s Sorrow Read more
- Is Ukraine Becoming Europe’s Afghanistan? Read more
- Resurging Terrorism in Pakistan: What needs to be Done? Read more
- Social Media and Politics in Pakistan Read more
- Revisiting Counterterrorism Strategies of Pakistan Read more
- Initiatives to stimulate Pak-Afghan Bilateral Trade Read more
- The Durand Line Debate Read more
- Introducing ‘Realizm’ Read more
- OIC’s Council on Foreign Ministers Meeting & Pakistan’s Commitment towards Ending Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan Read more
- Rays of Hope in Kabul’s Winter Read more
- The Endgame Read more
- Spoilers cannot be Peace Builders Read more
- Disbanded Afghan Security Forces, Reinforcing IS-K and Regional Security Read more
- Taliban’s Rise is Changing the Security Landscape in Pakistan Read more
- Afghanistan deserves a Marshall Plan Plus Read more
- Déjà vu Moments Read more
- Effects of Ethnicity on Afghanistan’s Politics Read more
- Afghanistan and its Uncertainties Read more
- The Dilemma of Women in Afghanistan Read more
- Afghanistan 2.0:Development, Implications & Policy Options for Pakistan Read more
- The Taliban’s Ascendance in Afghanistan: Implications for Pakistan Read more
- Afghanistan under Taliban: Beginning of a New Era? Read more
- Refugee Influx: Need to Learn from Past Experience Read more
- Prospects for Peace in Afghanistan: The Way Forward for Pakistan Read more
- Prospects of Pak-Iran Relations under President Raisi’s Government Read more
- The Need for Productive Engagement with New Afghan Government Read more
- How Corruption Aided Taliban’s Takeover Read more
- Countering Dubious Indo-US Designs in Afghanistan Read more
- Social Media: A Weapon of Mass Manipulation Read more
- Why is China Stepping up Geopolitics in Afghanistan? Read more
- The Economic Battle for Kabul Read more
- Victims of Wars in Afghanistan Read more
- The Fall of Kabul: A Public Value Perspective Read more
- Taliban here and Across the Khyber Read more
- Taliban Offensive and Abject Surrender of Afghan Forces Read more
- Seven Decades after Partition Read more
- The Afghan Imbroglio: A Pakistani Perspective Read more
- Hybrid Mannerism of the Terrorists and the State’s Response Read more
- Identifying Levels of Hybridity in War Read more
- The Second Wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan Read more
- While FATF Sleeps Read more
- پاکستان کی کورونا وائرس کے خلاف کامیابی کی اہم وجوہات Read more
- Iran joining the BRI: An Opportunity for Pakistan Read more
- Russia as a Resurgent Power - a Critical Analysis Read more
- Article 370: What Made PM Narendra Modi do it? Read more
- The Repulsive Face of Ultra-Nationalism Read more
- Pakistan’s Decisive Time to Act on its Weakening Kashmir Cause Read more
- End of Humanity! Read more
- Disputing the Disputed Status Read more
- The New Delhi Nazis Read more
- The implied truth Read more
- Modi, Media, Military a dangerous combination Read more
- The 'Reichstag Fire'of Pulwama Read more
- Pulwama, where was the world order? Read more
- The last sigh of Modi government Read more
- India's fake news calamity Read more
- War cost for India: half a trillion dollars Read more
- Sinking deeper into abyss Read more
- Decoding the Australian terrorist's manifesto Read more
- Time to Change our Approach Read more
- THE BLEEDING VALLEY Read more
- The cognitive dissonance of Indian Life Read more
- Has the FATF Failed? Read more
- PAF 'Ops Swift Retort' and effectiveness of Air Power Read more
- Why the fear? Read more
- Ijtamai Kifayat Sheari aur Usky Asraat Read more
- The Maturity of Debts and Governments Read more
- Indian Armed Forces – Myth and Reality Read more
- Time for a Public Finance Management Act Read more
- Implication of Abrogation of Article 370 Read more