Pakistan Crucial to Solving Problems in Afghanistan: Rifkind
By Raza Mumtaz 'Pakistan Times' Executive Editor/UK Bureau Chief

LONDON (UK): Acknowledging Pakistan's key role to solving problems in Afghanistan, former British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind has called on Western countries to work for South Asian country's self interests.

In his article appearing in the daily ‘The Independent’, the Conservative party member said "if we ignore Pakistan, we won't solve Afghanistan while claiming the Taliban is stronger today than it has been at any tine since 9/11.

According to Rifkind, if the United States and Britain want more wholehearted co-operation from Pakistan they need to work with the grain of Pakistani self-interest.

This could be achieved in three ways. First, Hamid Karzai and his government must be pressed to recognize the current frontier with Pakistan, known as the Durand Line.

Second, India should be encouraged to reduce its presence in Afghanistan. It has opened two consulates in Kandahar and Jalalabad. The Pakistanis fear that these are being used as bases from which to foment mischief.

Third, there is a need to encourage more normal politics into Waziristan and the frontier areas to enable the political parties to play their role and prevent giving Islamic jihadists and their allies a free run at winning local hearts and minds.

Rifkind writes that winning in Afghanistan means defeating the Taliban and al-Qa'ida in Helmand and it also means winning the support of the Afghan people through social reform and economic growth.

However, he added that all that effort may be wasted if the Pakistani interests are not given due importance.

"The key will be winning full Pakistani support for the pacification of that region. That will not be achieved by threats or exhortations. It needs a more sophisticated approach, one that recognizes legitimate Pakistani concerns and interests. Only then will we make real progress.”●