We are already in the second month of 2014 which has been seen as year for the security and stability in Afghanistan as United States set to withdraw its forces from the country and presidential elections,scheduled to happen in April loom closer with each passing day.
President Hamid Karzai amid huge pressure is not willing to sign bilateral security agreement allowing US soldiers to stay in Afghanistan to assist Afghan National army and Obama administration has threatened to pull out their troops in the absence of agreement has made things worse and now future of Afghanistan looks more unclear than ever before.
Pakistan,India and Iran are keeping close look on situation of Afghanistan and in case of possible pull out of US troops from Afghanistan, they will review their strategies. Pakistan has already welcomed peace negotiation between Afghan peace council and Taliban and has released Top Taliban commanders to facilitate peace process and play their role in ending this long three decades of civil war.
With presidential elections due to happen in April, 2014 and security agreement has not been signed yet, it has raised questions.Will Afghanistan be able to stand back on its own feet or will fall again as fail state once again?.Will Hamid karzai sign security agreement and what will happen in case US withdraw their forces before elections?
Maleeha lodhi, former High commissioner of Pakistan to United Kingdom and former Two time ambassador to United state quoted Allama Iqbal to emphasize on importance of stability in Afghanistan to rest of the Asia.National poet of Pakistan, Allama Iqbal once quoted Afghanistan as "Heart of the Asia".According to Maleeha, stability in Afghanistan means prosperity to rest of the Asia and in case of turmoil, it will hurt peace in whole Asia.
Afghanistan will witness who will lead office after Hamid karzai and more importantly, US has threatened to stop funding Afghan National Army in case security agreement are not signed. It will raise questions of upcoming elections and things will get worse. Neighbor countries are keeping an eye of changing situation in Afghanistan.
