Afghanistan remains isolated 4-year after Doha Agreement: Experts

KABUL (Pajhwok): Political affairs experts say that Doha accord helped the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan but most parts of this agreement are yet to be implemented and the country had not achieved political solution based on regional and international consensus.

Doha peace pact was signed in Doha, Qatar between Mullah Abdul Ghani Beradar, a senior leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), and Zalmay Khalilzad, the than US Chief Negotiator on February 29, 2020.

Withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan, release of all prisoners, start of intra-Afghan talks and lifting of sanction by US were the most salient features of the agreement, it was also promised in the agreement that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against US and its allies.

Experts’ views:

Political affairs expert Najibullah Jamai, said Doha Agreement resulted in big change in Afghanistan, on the bases of this agreement all foreign forces left Afghanistan and the IEA resurged to power.

He added: “Many discussions related to the agreement are still incomplete such as the distribution of power in Afghanistan, start of intra-Afghan talks, inclusion of Afghanistan in the international community and reconstruction of Afghanistan, another main thing which many Afghan wanted is that region and international community has not reached a consensus on Afghanistan so far.”

According to Jami the isolation of IEA government, disengagement of many countries, difference of opinion about elections in Afghanistan, non-availability of constitutions in Afghanistan and the lack of clear future vision of the currently government were the negative points of Doha agreement.

“I believe and every Afghan believes that Geneva, Rawalpindi and Bonn did not resolve Afghanistan problem, Bonn made situation even worst and Doha Agreement could only helped the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.”

“We believe and the Afghan nation wanted Afghan government to support national unity and strengthen the discussion regarding constitution, government should renew its committed in the provision of all rights of the people of Afghanistan, government should pave the way for national dialogue in order to end international isolation and connect Afghanistan with the world.”

Another political affairs expert Rohullah Hotak said Doha Agreement paved the way for US forces withdrawal and resurgence of the IEA, fighting and occupation ended in Afghanistan.

He said the IEA leadership names should have been removed from the black list and relationship between the two sides should have been established but no step in this regard had taken.

Mohammad Qasim Mohtat, a former diplomat and political affairs expert, said Doha agreement resulted in the withdrawal of foreign forces, establishment of current system and end of fighting.

He said: “According to the Doha agreement, a balanced and inclusive government should have been formed, some IEA leaders are of extreme nature, they were neither able to accept the former government officials, nor they be able to interact with the world easily, they were weak in this area, unfortunately, this government is not officially recognized by anyone at international stage.”

Political affairs expert Azizulah Maarej, said: “Unfortunately, as the four decades of war have divided Afghans into different visions, similarly there is both optimism and pessimism about the Doha Agreement.”

He added: “A group that is tired of the occupation is happy that the occupation has ended, corrupt, land grabbers and robbers who took government by force had been expelled from the country, the religion of Islam had been enforced and security has come to Afghanistan, Afghans came back and become the owners of their land.”

He said: “Another group of people say that an inclusive government should have been formed in Afghanistan; there should not have been restrictions on girls’ education, if the Taliban had interacted with the Republic, the army would not have been destroyed, and the cadres would not have left Afghanistan and the system would not have been destroyed.”

According to Maarej all details regarding Doha Agreement has not been disclosed and both parties accused each others of the agreement violation.

He said after Doha Agreement Afghanistan is in isolation and this put the people of Afghanistan in political and economic troubles.

IEA Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said factors behind the signing of Doha Agreement was the 20 years of freedom fighting, struggles and sacrifices of the people of Afghanistan. On the bases of this agreement US was forced to pull its forces out of Afghanistan, he added.

He said: “The agreement was signed and as a result, the occupation ended, freedom and independence returned to Afghanistan and the ground was created for the establishment of an Islamic government, this was a very big dream, a very big goal of the people of Afghanistan, with the signing of this agreement, it was done and reached, which can be called a great development that will have its place in history, this marks a golden chapter of Afghanistan’s history.”

He said the Doha agreement end a long war, prevent continuous bloodshed and destruction, Afghanistan entered a new season and Afghans would started rebuilding their country.

Mujahid said as a result of this Agreement Afghanistan was now peaceful, it is economically prosperous and efforts were underway for development.

He said some parts of the agreement have not been implemented by the US and problems still existed but generally this agreement helped achieved big goals.

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