AFGHANISTAN AND PAKSITAN

CONFLICT, EXTREMISIM AND RESISTENCE TO MODRENITY

About the author:

Riaz Mohammad Khan holds a master's degree in mathematics and a B.A. (honors) from Punjab
University, Lahore. Prior to joining Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1969, Riaz Khan taught
quantum physics from 1965 to 1969 as Assistant Professor in the Mathematics Department at
Punjab University, Lahore. 
His diplomatic career began with a posting to Beijing in 1970. He then served seven-years at
Pakistan’s Mission to the United Nations in New York City from 1979 to 1986. Riaz Khan
remained Director General of Afghanistan and Soviet Affairs at the Foreign Office, during which
time he took a study leave to serve as a Diplomat-in-Residence at Georgetown University’s
Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.
He served as Pakistan’s first Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (1992-1995).
Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union (1995-1998). He also served as
Additional Secretary in charge of international organizations and arms control issues for
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1998-2002). Spokesman of the Foreign Office (2000-
2001).Khan’s last served as Ambassador of Pakistan to China from 2002 to 2005. He served as
Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary from 2005 to 2008. He retired from service in 2008. After his
retirement from the Foreign Service, he spent a year as a scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center
in Washington, DC. He also served as Pakistan's envoy for "back channel" diplomacy with India
from 2009 to 2012.
Books written by Riaz Mohammad khan:
Untying the Afghan Knot: Negotiating Soviet Withdrawal – 1993
Afghanistan and Pakistan: Conflict, Extremism and Resistance to Modernity – 2011
Pakistan: glimpses of vistas, history and culture
Published by:
The book was published by john Hopkins university press, Woodrow Wilson Center, Wilson
Centerniversity Press, Oxford University Press in 2011.
About the book:
"This book offers an insider’s extremely well-informed account of events in the Afghanistan-
Pakistan region and an insightful perspective on history that is normally not available in
academic books. Riaz Mohammad Khan has produced a serious piece of work and one that is
also highly readable." "The most compelling features of this book are the analysis of Pakistan’s
intellectual crisis and of the interests of various regional players in Afghanistan. This book
surveys the conflict in Afghanistan from Pakistan’s point of view and analyzes the roots of that
country’s unclear policy supporting the United States on one hand and showing empathy for the
Afghan Taliban on the other. The author, a former foreign secretary of Pakistan, considers a
broad range of events and interweaves his own experiences and perspectives into the larger
narrative of the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship. The book also traces the impact of the soviet
involvement in Afghanistan and later on directly affected Pakistan and changed the social and
political fabric of Pakistani society. Beginning with the 1989 departure of Soviet troops and
especially since the NATO invasion Riaz Mohammad Khan examines the development of
Afghanistan and surveys the interests of external powers both there and in Pakistan. He discusses
the rise of extremism and religious militancy in Pakistan and its links with ongoing conflicts in
Afghanistan. Ultimately, Khan argues, Pakistan reveals a deep confusion in its public discourse
on issues of modernity and the challenges the country faces, an intellectual crisis that Pakistan
must address to secure the country’s survival, progress, and constructive role in the region. It
also focuses on the international and regional dimensions of the afghan conflict particularly
focuses on regional and extra regional players and their interests. The book also provides a detail
account of the9/11 incident and as a result the US-led military campaigns against the Taliban and
al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, where a new political setup was installed after the toppling up of the
Taliban regime. How firstly an interim government was formed then a permanent legitimate
political government, under Hamid Karzai, was established. Also there include the details of the
failures of the Karzai government and the factors which led to the raise of the Taliban insurgency
in Afghanistan, the bringing of Taliban to the negotiating table and the formation of future
political set up in Afghanistan. Role of Pakistan in war against terrorism, Pakistani state and
jihad forces posed national and strategic challenges has been discussed. Emphasis has also been
made to see the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan has also been discussed. It is an
Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what has gone wrong here over the last 64
years, and particularly the last 30. The book analyses

Contents of book:
The book contains 400 pages and divided into 3 parts each part having further sub divisions. The
book initially contains a list of map for the understanding of the readers.

Part I: The Afghanistan Context: The Continuing Conflict

1. The Post–Soviet Withdrawal Phase of the Afghanistan Conflict (1989–1995)
2. The Advent of the Taliban (1995–2001)
3. Post–9/11 Afghanistan
4. The External Powers: Interests and Concerns
Part II: The Pakistan Context and the Challenge of Extremism
5. The Challenge of Religious Militancy and Extremism in Pakistan
6. Pakistan: A Case of Intellectual Crisis and Weak Governance
Part III: Perspectives and Options
7. Conclusions

BOOK REVIEW:

The Book titled “Afghanistan and Pakistan Conflict, Extremism and Resistance to Modernity”
by Riaz Mohammad Khan examines the crucial region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It has dealt
with the happenings in Afghanistan and their impact on Pakistan, the two neighboring states with
long porous border. Along with this factor there are tribes on both sides of the border which
historically have been moving freely on both the sides. Thus there always has been cross border
movement. This is a very timely book on the aspect of Afghanistan and Pakistan security
concerns. Amongst the many effects of Afghanistan on Pakistan in present times the most
serious impact regarding this is the rising militancy and extremism in Pakistan. The book is
divided into three parts the first is regarding Afghanistan’s continuing conflicts in which the
author has given details of the era after the Soviet forces left Afghanistan; the country remained
in turmoil till 1995 when the Taliban took over the reins of the country. Till that time there was
complete instability in Afghanistan which worried the decision makers in Pakistan with this new
situation in Afghanistan, along with a complete changed regional and international scenario.
Then came the Taliban rule and the author has given an elaborated account of the causes and
consequences of the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. This drastic change in Afghanistan led to
drastic policy changes in Pakistan whose effects are even felt today. The Taliban rule turned out
to be a very controversial era which led to numerous condemnations at the international level due
to basically their violation of human rights. But Pakistan was one of the three states that
recognized the Taliban government despite criticism within and outside Pakistan. The reason for
this controversial decision given by the Pakistani policy makers was strategic depth. As the event
of 9/11 took place and USA along with NATO forces initiated War on Terror against the Al-
Qaeda and Taliban elements, and once again the epic center of this war became Afghanistan and
Pakistan. This area comprising both the states acquired the attention of the world and due to
Afghanistan, Pakistan again comes to the lime light, as the militant elements using the porous
border started infiltrating into the tribal areas of Pakistan. Part two of the book deals with the
challenges faced by Pakistan due to the Afghanistan situation after the attack on Afghanistan by
NATO forces. The most serious and lethal is militant extremism and terrorism in Pakistan which
have badly affected the society and threatened the internal as well external security of Pakistan.
The author has also given detailed account of the Musharraf regime regarding the issue of
extremism and terrorism. During his tenure one of the most serious problems faced by Musharraf
was dealing with militant religious organizations and the overall rise in militancy in the society.
Musharraf himself survived suicide attacks by the extremists. He had to eventually initiate
military operations against these elements but in retaliation extremism and terrorism grew even
more and devastating unfortunately. The book further also looks into the different problems and
crises being faced by Pakistan that include the intellectual crisis and week governance. The
author feels that there is general confusion that exists on the issue of modernity; he concludes
that there is intellectual confusion in Pakistan. In this section he gives a historical background of
the various religious parties and their role in the politics along with the role played by Zia-ul-Haq
that led to religious extremism. The third and the last part comprises of the conclusions in which
the discussion basically is regarding the various opportunities that Pakistan had but could not
utilize them. He suggests that if these opportunities had been availed, then maybe situation in
Afghanistan would have been much better , these he has titled as missed opportunities. The
worrying aspect at this time is the future of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces
from there because the conditions as always in Afghanistan will be directly affecting Pakistan.
The worries and concerns regarding the future stability and security of Afghanistan are genuine
and logical, as Pakistan has already suffered a lot due to the instable conditions in Afghanistan.
This time the NATO forces exit should not be abrupt but should be a well-planned exit strategy.
To ensure a stable Afghanistan after troop’s withdrawal Pakistan needs to be involved and
consulted as a major actor while the strategies are chalked out, as Pakistan’s security is directly
linked with that of Afghanistan. In this process the decision makers of Pakistan need to up hold
the national interests of Pakistan under all circumstances. In the last, the book suggests number
of recommendations towards handling of the crucial issue of relations with Afghanistan and their
effects on Pakistan. In the stabilization of Afghanistan the mistrust between Afghanistan and
Pakistan Conflict, Extremism and Resistance to Modernity the three major parties Afghanistan,
Pakistan and USA must end or lessen. All these parties need to understand that only joint
policies acceptable to all can build peace in the region. The bi-lateral relations between the two
neighboring should be developed to lessen the trust deficit between them. The long border
between them should be managed in an effective manner to keep a check on the movements on
both sides. Both the countries need to learn not to interfere into the internal matters of each other.
The most effective suggestion is to lessen the ever growing extremism in Pakistan.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

1. Book discusses the way forward after the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan
and discussed the resulting security situation in both Pakistan and Afghanistan,
particularly if the situation on the ground is not handled properly.
2. Moreover some policy recommendations have also been made in order to effectively deal
with the emerging challenges. These suggestions seem to be very useful not only for
policy makers but also for general readers
3. As the book is written by Ex-Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Mr. Riaz Mohammad Khan,
he shows command over giving details of the various angles of diplomacy on both the
sides

4. This book is a good addition to the material regarding Afghanistan and Pakistan.
 5. Narrations of personal experiences and involvements of the author made the book more
interesting and captivating

CONCLUSION:

Running away from the problem only increases the distance from the solution, the easiest way to
escape from a problem is to solve the problem. Flexibility and adjustment are what is required on
both sides to build the goodwill that was achieved through much effort between both the
countries during the past one year. Pakistan and Afghanistan relationship is a special
relationship. It is historic, religious, civilizational, cultural, linguistic, and ethnic and is truly
people to people, those who see it through the prism of limited agendas will not be able see its
true depth. Recalling the past efforts entailed by Pakistan to bring peace in Afghanistan, we see
that Doha-1 and Doha-2 dialogues were facilitated by Pakistan between Afghan Taliban and
Karzai government. The process was derailed by Karzai government. Hence, talks did not
succeed in achieving its goal of reconciliation. At various moment efforts been made by
Pakistan. The only plausible solution to Afghan turmoil lies in a constructive dialogue between,
both, the current government and the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan is always at the forefront of
countering terrorism, for so many years it has made a positive effort and great sacrifice for
combating terrorism and made great contribution to uphold world peace and regional stability. It
is said that one could learn through suffering. We have already suffered too much, now it is high
time for Pakistan to learn. InshaAllah Pakistan will prosper and has a bright future head. The
relation between Afghanistan and Pakistan will also get good soon. Long live Pakistan.