CSS 2011 Solved Current Affairs Past Papers | AFPAK Policy and Options for Pakistan
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Question Breakdown
This question has two parts
- What is AFPAK Policy?
- How to Manage its Implication on Pakistan?
Outline
1-Introduction
2-What is AFPAK Policy?
- ✓ Origins and Rationale Behind AFPAK Policy
- ✓ Key Objectives and Components of AFPAK Policy
- ✓ Implementation and Controversies Surrounding the AFPAK Policy
3-Implications of the AFPAK Policy on Pakistan
- ✓Regional Instability and Continued Terrorism
- ✓ Sovereignty Erosion Due to Drone Strikes
- ✓ Economic and Social Disruption in Tribal Areas
- ✓ Strained U.S.-Pakistan Diplomatic Relations
4-How to Manage the Implications of the AFPAK Policy
- ✓ Promoting Joint Counterterrorism Efforts
- ✓ Focus on Economic Rehabilitation in Affected Areas
- ✓ Enhancing Border Security through Joint Intelligence
- ✓ Diplomatic Engagement for Better U.S.-Pakistan Relations
5-Critical Analysis
6-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
After 9/11, the geopolitical landscape of South Asia changed from scratch: a new role suddenly fell on the heads of Afghanistan and especially Pakistan, two countries in the middle of a global war on terror. When the Obama administration brought out the AFPAK policy of 2009 as an introduction, she had aimed to treat Afghanistan and Pakistan as a single theatre of combat to wage war on terror. The policy believed that both Afghanistan and Pakistan’s fortunes were inextricably bound when a policy of eliminating cross-border insurgency and fostering stability in Afghanistan became critical and was rooted in the notion that Afghanistan and Pakistan’s fates were intertwined against the extremist groups. The AFPAK policy, however, was a tough one for Pakistan, threatening erosion of sovereignty from increased drone strikes, regional instability from spillover insurgency, and often strained ties with the U.S. Besides fanning anti-American sentiment, the socio-economic fabric of Pakistan’s tribal areas has been severely upset by these impacts. With AFPAK policy issues looming significant in their consequences, Pakistan feels compelled to manage this. To manage the implication of this policy, Pakistan must safeguard its sovereignty and diplomatically rebuild strained ties with the U.S., finding a permissible solution from joint counterterrorism operations to economic rehabilitation in conflict-prone areas, whether conceding to itself that the AFPAK policy was aimed at stabilizing the region or opting for a strategic approach that lays the country’s national interest securely and its borders fortified.
What is the AFPAK Policy?
- ✓ Origins and Rationale Behind AFPAK Policy
To begin with, sponsored by the Obama administration in 2009, the AFPAK Policy was occasioned by the realisation that security threats in Afghanistan and Pakistan were connected. The idea behind the policy was premised on the understanding that groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda had easily movable boundaries between these two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan. By ignoring the clear distinction between Afghanistan and Pakistan as two different theatres of conflict, the U.S. aimed at devising a different approach to counterterrorism. Effective counter-stab policy also implies the fact that Afghanistan cannot be stabilised without addressing the militant sanctuaries in Pakistan tribal areas used by insurgents to cross the border and foment destruction. Therefore, the AFPAK policy was designed to centre its military, political, and developmental counterpart strategies in both countries on defeating terrorism and stabilising the area.
- ✓ Key Objectives and Components of AFPAK Policy
Based on such strategic direction, the AFPAK Policy was developed to demobilise cross-border insurgency and stabilise the region. The first and most important objective was aimed at the destruction of terrorist organisations, the main of which were the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, that had found bases on the border territories of Afghanistan and Pakistan. This meant that to target the terrorist’s safe havens while increasing military operations in Afghanistan. It suggested organising civil policy in Afghanistan with enhanced military and institutional support to the Afghan government, resulting in better governance in Afghanistan. However, one of the critical elements of the policy was to force Pakistan into action and start operations against the extremists in the FATA region, where the militants had shelter. The U.S. believed that Pakistan could and should be relied upon to do more to eliminate these insurgent havens. Furthermore, as the AFPAK Policy implied, more attention should be paid to the developmental agendas since, regarding stability objectives, attention had been paid to the fact that the days of the tribal regions in Pakistan had to be made better economically and in other spheres of governance. This policy included military and development solutions to remove the sources of instability in this region and across the border.
- ✓ Implementation and Controversies Surrounding the AFPAK Policy
Moving further, the strategies that make up the AFPAK Policy were initiated and followed by various challenges and controversies that hampered their efficiency. One of the critical aspects of the policy was strikes on high-ranking terrorists in Pakistan’s border areas, drones launched from the United States. Despite these strikes, several key figures in the Taliban and Al-Qaeda were eliminated; these strikes received criticism nationally as well as internationally, particularly in Pakistan. Strikes used to endanger the lives of civilians, which evoked residents’ anger and undermined Pakistan’s sovereignty, in particular. The Pakistani government continually protested over violation of its airspace and civilian causalities in the process of these strikes, which added to the already tense relations between the two countries’ relationship Also what critics dismissed as a militarization of the policy involving Afghanistan; for instance, using a surge of American troops failed to address political factors that culminated in insurgent actions. Some critics claimed that the policy failed to account for both tribal and political relations, especially in the rural setting of Afghanistan, which saw the formation of Taliban militias. As this paper explained, the policy of relying solely on a Shotgun of military power and influence and neglecting developmental and reform in governance failed in realizing its vision towards stability. Therefore, the AFPAK Policy received much opposition; people stated that it poses a threat to aggravate the situation in Pakistan and still, no peace in Afghanistan is achieved.
Implications of the AFPAK Policy on Pakistan
- ✓ Regional Instability and Continued Terrorism
The consequence of the AFPAK Policy, especially employing drone strikes and military force, whose implementation was already criticized by many, meant a lot for Pakistan. The first was to prolong regional instability and the continuing presence of terrorism within its territory. When American forces’ activity in Afghanistan escalated, the insurgency, who felt the heat, fled to Pakistan’s frontier areas. This brought many militants into FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which only escalated the security situation of this region with organizations such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In their focus on Afghanistan, the militants stimulated instability in Pakistan as cross-terrorism activities increased sharply. Hence, these insurgents were attacking both the civilians and forces, making the internal security situation worse in Pakistan. The impact of the AFPAK Policy was that it made Pakistan’s counter-terrorism effort even more of a regional issue.
- ✓ Sovereignty Erosion Due to Drone Strikes
Another critical implication of the AFPAK Policy for Pakistan is a dramatic weakening of that country’s sovereignty as a result of frequent American drone attacks in the territory of Pakistan’s tribal areas. For the five years from 2004 to 2010, the United States administration conducted about one hundred and eighty drone strikes in Pakistan, with the main targets being the militants of FATA. However, these strikes, as with many others, were to eliminate confident leaders within Insurgent forces and were also not exclusive of civilian losses. As it was reported, by 2010, the number of the killed in these operations ranged from 1 200 up to 1 900, and a significant part of the victims were civilians. Due to the lack of transparency and also because they were carried out unilaterally and often without the consent of the Pakistani government, the attacks raised a lot of resentment and anger in the populace of Pakistan; as the U.S routed their drones flew across the border, these strikes were perceived as an affront to the sovereignty of Pakistan thus causing much tension in the relation between the two nations. The government of Pakistan verbally protested each drone strike, not only because of the loss of life but also because the drones undermined Pakistan’s attempts to exercise authority and maintain security over its borders. This further dilution of sovereignty rendered counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries more complicated and made anti-American sentiments in Pakistan more intense, leaving the strategic partnership even more weakened and required for cooperation.
- ✓ Economic and Social Disruption in Tribal Areas
Moving further, one of the most dangerous implications of the AFPAK Policy is that it has destabilized the economic and social life in Pakistan, especially in the tribal areas. Through military and invasive operations and aerial attacks through drones that were meant to neutralize the insurgents, the civilian population has been left fleeing for their lives, with whole generations of populations displaced. The ever-looming conflict has paralyzed most farming and small markets, which are the primary sources of income for the people of these regions. This brought socio-political losses, including destabilization of the social architecture and failure of traditional governance systems due to the pressures of wars. Formerly, heads of clans that were able to keep law and order now cannot cope with the situation, and the presence of insurgent groups only adds to the worsening situation. The stagnated economy, together with an array of social change, awaits nothing but disorder and the increase of an urge amongst people to change the existing situation for the worse, thus encouraging more radicalism in the country. Consequently, the policy remains to substantiate the carry-on long-term effects on tribal areas while the society fights to regain normal economic state and operations.
- ✓ Strained U.S.-Pakistan Diplomatic Relations
That increased economic and social instabilities in the tribal part of Pakistan, besides rising drone use, raised diplomatic strain between Pakistan and the USA. It was over time that the AFPAK Policy was unfolding that the U.S. reliance on unilateral drone strikes became a critical issue. These strikes, mainly before Pakistan’s consultation, were regarded as violating Pakistan’s sovereignty, leading to a diplomatic controversy. The expectation that Pakistan intensified its military operations against the militants in its tribal areas while internally, it has so much instability put additional pressure. Washington’s demands for Pakistan to “do more” in counter-terrorism efforts, combined with the unilateral nature of U.S. actions, led to growing frustration within Pakistan’s political leadership. These tensions were detrimental to the required bilateral cooperation and proved detrimental to Pakistan, where people considered the American intervention interference in their politics. This led to further deterioration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, so counter-terrorism cooperation became brittle.
How to Manage the Implications of the AFPAK Policy
- ✓ Promoting Joint Counterterrorism Efforts
Given that the diplomatic relations have been exacerbated due to US drone attacks turning the ties between Pakistan and the United States sour, solving these problems is going to entail more cooperation. Pakistan must push for a joint counterterrorism strategy that ensures its sovereignty is respected while effectively dealing with terrorist threats. Key aspects of this strategy should include collaboration of intelligence collection and collaborative military activities instead of using individual actions such as drone attacks. A partnership relationship of this sort would enable Pakistan to control most activities within its boundaries better; people would be assured that counterterrorism measures being implemented across the country are so in partnership, not imposition. This change in approach would do much to rebuild the diplomatic rift and make counterterrorism efforts far more effective and courteous to Pakistan’s sovereignty.
- ✓ Focus on Economic Rehabilitation in Affected Areas
In addition to the security outlook, economic reconstruction should also remain at the forefront of Pakistan’s policy agenda, particularly in the tribal regions that have received the destabilizing impacts of the AFPAK Policy’s military offences and drone attacks. As a result of displacement, obliteration of properties, and decimation of man and livestock industries, these areas have become economically less productive and socially destabilized. Pakistan should again have to extend support to the reconstruction effort to support the long-term effects. This relief action should also include technical and concrete developmental future maps for the affected areas, the rebuilding of infrastructural systems, and employment opportunities. In order to alleviate the sufferings of the affected people and bring back normalcy in the affected parts of the state and country, rehabilitation of local industries, mainly agricultural and trade segment industries and sectors, would go a long way in ensuring such relief works are achieved. Additionally, Pakistan seems to align itself with the Obama administration in terms of supporting economic development mainly because extremism is known to come from poor and secluded regions. Through this act, they can also assist in bringing the local people’s confidence and showing them that their government is concerned about their welfare
- ✓ Enhancing Border Security through Joint Intelligence
To successfully address the regional instability that is compounded by acts of cross-border terrorism, Pakistan must make concrete efforts towards improving the physical security of its borders by increasing integrated cooperation of intelligence with Afghanistan and the US. Since insurgents often cross the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, intelligence sharing is vital to stopping the flow of the insurgents in these areas. Practical observation and putting into practice measures such as the integrity of borderline control would drastically lower the possibility of cross-border insurgency along the Durand Line. By having common borders, patrols, and standard intelligence networks, Pakistan can reduce border insecurity while making sure any operation is friendly and coordinated. Such cooperation would not only enhance Pakistan’s security. However, it would also help in building up friendly relations with Afghanistan so that both the country came closer to dealing with the emerging threat of terrorism.
- ✓ Diplomatic Engagement for Better U.S.-Pakistan Relations
The AFPAK Policy has created increased tension in U.S.-Pakistan relations mainly due to a policy of absolute American unilateralism and pressure on Pakistan to combat the militants in its tribal territories. Pakistan has to address these dilemmas systematically by emphasising diplomatic interaction that would make the country an equal participant in regional security initiatives. Renewal and expansion of good relations with the U.S. government will be critical in ensuring that any other counter-terrorism cooperation will be done under the mutual understanding of Pakistan and concerning international law. Pakistan should push for a renewal of high-level talks and ambassadors’ meetings as often as possible, or at least involved meetings; they mean the two countries can solve their problems more effectively in high-level talks. In this context, diplomacy will help Pakistan regain the much-needed trust of other countries, especially in the West, for its cooperation in counter-terrorism operations while at the same time still bargaining for an operations arrangement that is win-win for Pakistan and the other countries that require its assistance. This diplomatic approach will aid Pakistan in preserving its sovereign status as it plays a central role in regional and international security.
Critical analysis
To critically analyse, as the policy is explicitly designed to address security threats and stabilise the region in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the AFPAK Policy was highly problematic, especially for Pakistan. In focusing only and almost exclusively on military strategies, essentially through the use of drones and military troops and crisis surges to fight the groups, it neglected the primary socio-political factors that defined those groups. Thus, whereas drone strikes aimed at eliminating high-value militants, they also led to a great many civilian casualties, which eroded Pakistani sovereignty and spurred anti-Americanism. These strikes only destabilised the region, not the stability that was supposed to be promoted. Moreover, the policy lacked attention to developmental initiatives in Pakistan’s regions of FATA, resulting in economic and social disaggregation. Failing to rebuild and invest in infrastructure while not embracing any economic uplift process left vacancies and the environment in poverty and displacement. This provoked insurgencies to perform and added to security-enhanced woes. At a diplomatic level, the policy soured relations between the US and Pakistan because the coordination boundaries were overstepped by conducting operations in the other country without consulting it. However, the doom of the AFPAK Policy – loss of sovereignty, a spike in insurgency levels, and diplomatic tensions overshadowed the few short-lived tactically pragmatic achievements. This approach has long lacked this sort of check and balance between military cooperation and manifold socio-economic reforms where such adverse effects for the region’s stability are not adequately balanced for an emphatic victory.
Conclusion
In conclusion, analysing the AFPAK Policy registered several critical implications for Pakistan’s sovereignty, its strategic and security partnership with the United States, and its relations with Afghanistan. The use of military power, mainly drone attacks, has not only weakened the government’s authority in Pakistan but also the unpopularity of the relationship it has with the USA. The emergence of the economic and social crisis in the tribal area also posed a negative impact on the stability of the Pakistani state due to insurgent groups taking advantage of the worst conditions created by the conflict. In order to succeed in dealing with such implications, it is crucial for Pakistan to increase cooperation with international partners in counterterrorism, improve economic reconstruction, increase security measures at the borders, and begin diplomatic reconciliation with partners. Security, development and diplomatic engagement with the Afghan neighbour will be inseparable components for Pakistan in the future to tackle the sustainable impacts of the AFPAK Policy towards a more stable region and the country’s security.
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