Afghanistan: Kunduz Madressah Bombing and Foreign Fatwa

By Shirin Gul

The bombing of Madressah in Kunduz, Afghanistan, has shocked everyone, Afghanistan Air Force’s blunder has once again proved that Afghan government neither has good understanding of dynamic of ongoing insurgency nor the expertise to tackle Taliban. The horrible attack has pushed Afghan National Army (ANA) in ‘moral abyss, while strengthening Taliban’s public support. Defying every Political theory and practice, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is’ already’ seeking foreign help to void the legal gap to deal with internal issues, in his wishful thinking, a Fatwa against Afghan Taliban from Indonesian Ulema will help him in winning the battle of hearts and minds. With this gruesome attack in which several children and students were killed, President Ghani has been painted as a loser by the innocent blood that was shed by his own armed forces.

Last year, American forces in Afghanistan distributed a pamphlet in which Taliban were depicted as dogs with the statement of faith written on them, which flared up religious sentiments of Muslims and Afghan government and its American allies had to issue an apology to control the situation. The repeated incidents in which the religious sentiments of people of Afghanistan are violated reflect that the government in place cannot even understand the cultural sensitivities of its people, then, how it can make a good assessment about the insurgency of its own people against it. The irony is that the Americans in Afghanistan have also lost the sense of the ground situation and short term strategy shifts has made their war a complete chaos in Afghanistan. The repeated withdrawals and redeployments of American troops is an embarrassment at home, thus, US government is in search of a hard to find face saving in Afghanistan. In addition, US media claims that government is hiding true actual position in Afghanistan for same purpose, while a recent BBC field research report concluded that 70% area is not under government’s control in Afghanistan.

Afghan government has been unable to foster unity in Afghanistan and its failure to create ethnically integrated social environment is a major obstruction to political stability. Instead of fixing problems at home, blame game against Pakistan has become a routine practice. Now, it has been found involve in nefarious propaganda ‘to create unrest in the Pashtun community in Pakistan through disgruntle elements like Manzoor Pashteen.  Contrary to the nefarious propaganda of Manzoor Pashteen, Pastun community is well integrated in Pakistan. They are playing leading role in all the segments of the society and they are proud part of Armed Forces. If he, is sincere, instead of conducting propaganda in Pakistan’, Pashteen should asked Afghan President Ghani to do something serious to facilitate the return of its refugees in a dignified way, who are largely pashtun. Moreover; Pashteen did not condemn TTP and its leadership and he has not done anything yet to win public support against militants who are mainly responsible for the troubles in FATA and KP.

President Ghani needs to understand that creating problems for Pakistan will not alleviate his internal challenges, the solutions will come from within. If the incidents like Kunduz madressah bombing will continue, external support will not be of any help. Therefore, the support of Afghan Ulema, not the Fatwa of Pakistani or Indonesia Ulema is required to pose ideological challenge to Afghan Taliban.