Written by: Mortaza Jafari
The Tajik government, which previously hosted some figures opposed to the Afghan government, including the Resistance Front, has now shown that it sees its national interests in interacting with Kabul by promising not to host these groups. This change of position is considered a heavy blow to the credibility and standing of virtual and flimsy resistance.
Tajikistan, which until now was one of the few countries in the region that opposed the Afghan government, has now proven that it is distancing itself from its previous positions by officially inviting an Afghan official. This change has caused serious concern among opposition groups living abroad.
The official visit of Mohammad Yusaf Wafa, the governor of Balkh, to Tajikistan is considered a turning point in relations between Kabul and Dushanbe. This trip not only reflects diplomatic interaction but also signifies a shift in Tajikistan’s policy toward the Afghan government.
Wafa’s meeting with the Minister of Intelligence of Tajikistan and the head of the country’s Council of Ulama, goes beyond a political gathering and carries cultural and security messages. Providing copies of the Afghan government’s laws on enjoining good and forbidding evil to Tajik scholars could pave the way for Kabul’s soft influence on Tajikistan’s religious structure.
This development is a direct result of the weakness and inability of virtual resistance fronts. The Afghan government, by suppressing insurgents within the country, has been able to stabilize the political climate, and thru active diplomacy abroad, has tightened the pressure on its opponents.
The poor and uncoordinated performance of the opposition fronts against the Afghan government, especially in the media and military spheres, has led regional countries to abandon their covert or overt support for them and turn to engaging with the central government of Afghanistan.
The continued existence of a cohesive central government with unified command and policy-making aligned with international realities has led to the acceptance of the Afghan government as an active state in the region.
Russia’s and Central Asian countries’ inclination to cooperate with the Afghan government has played a significant role in changing Tajikistan’s behavior. The government of Dushanbe does not want to be left behind in the caravan of engagement and miss out on its diplomatic and economic opportunities. Mohammad Yousuf Wafa’s trip is, in fact, a diplomatic victory for Afghanistan and a sign of the isolation of the opposition abroad.
Tajikistan has well understood that relying on incompetent resistance not only does it no good, but it also leads to the loss of political and economic opportunities. The world, and especially neighboring countries, have no choice but to accept the political realities of Afghanistan.
Tajikistan’s engagement with the Afghan government is not a random occurrence, but rather the result of a political and security process stemming from the weakness of the opposition and the cohesion of the central government.
Note: The articles, essays, and comments published by the Voice of Hindukush only reflect the views of the authors & writers and do not necessarily represent the agreement of the Voice of Hindukush.