Can Hikmatyar push Taliban for peace talks?

Hikmatyar’s ability to push the Afghan Taliban to peace talks with incumbent government in Kabul cannot be totally ignored or trusted. Gulbadin Hikmatyar, Head of Afghanistan’s second largest political forces Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA), had some similarity with the Taliban movement and at the same time maintained differences on key issues.

But the question that can he or can’t he bring the Taliban to talks is something to think about and be discussed.

Afghan government and HIA joint strategy

Nothing happens without encouragement and showing a good well towards it. The Afghan government and HIA first need to implement the peace deal they agreed upon on fast track and its full sprit. Both sides need to show to the domestic forces and international community that and Afghan-owned initiative do produce results and such steps should be helped in the future as well.

After the successful execution of the peace agreement there will be a drastic change in the political and domestic environment throughout the country. Some people who earlier looked at Afghan government and its institutions, people and over all government machinery from enemy eye will now become part of it. Happiness will return to Afghan societies to some extent and wish for peace and brotherhood would increase among the masses.

Once the HIA return to Afghan society and consolidate themselves among their people, the group being part of the government or not can play a role in pushing the Afghan Taliban for peace talks.

The President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani administration also need to restrain from anti-peace rhetoric, there are some forces within the Ghani government who did not want the process of talks to be initiated as they afraid that Taliban return may minimize their interest and these group will not be able to have greater say in government affairs or turning government decision into their interest.

HIA and Taliban

Ignoring HIA and Taliban is not a mature decision, the two forces have deep roots in Afghan societies as the HIA remained major group during Jihad against the former Soviet Union and the Taliban ruled Afghanistan for almost five years from 1996 until mid 2001.

Both the groups have more sensitivity towards foreigners and never want to compromise on Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. HIA and the Taliban are also alleged for having soft corner towards Pakistan which India’s arch rival and New Delhi grow deep political, economic and security times with Afghanistan over the past 15 years.

The existing differences on the leadership level have no roots in low level between the Taliban and HIA as both groups emerged from the same cultural and social background believing strongly on religious values and committed these norms. During the Taliban regime most member of HIA joined Taliban movements and enjoyed good status, some fought for the group and rendered sacrifices.

Despite having more similarity, the Taliban and HIA had been divided on some key issues such as their institutional growth--- the Taliban believed on Madrassa system and are more fundamentalist compared to HIA. An individual with western cultural values could move within HIA, enjoy membership and served the group in different area, but someone without beard, paint shirt or without turban can be hard to become part of Taliban even for a day.

When it comes to education the Taliban do not consider women education something necessary while the HIA firmly believed on separate women education in all fields. The HIA believed on science and technology their advantages and disadvantages while the Taliban believed on a very limited use of science and technology.

While both groups believing on fight against invaders, they fought against one another, killed and wounded key members of each other and took attacks properties and assets.

Hope for Peace

 HIA always stressed over Afghan owned negotiations and resolution of all outstanding issues. The group’s successful dialogue with Afghan government was the testimony of their claim and in the same manner they are committed to work for the economic and political development of Afghanistan.

Hikmatyar in his first address after signing of peace agreement at Presidential Palace called on the Taliban to renounce violence and join the reconciliation process without the middling of foreign such as Pakistan.

The HIA leader offered the Taliban to at least examine the inter-Afghan negotiation for some stages so their believed could be restored. Hikmatyar’s stressed Taliban and Afghan government negotiation for peace meant that without the Taliban durable peace was not possible so there will be some strategies and planes in his mind on how to bring the group to the table of talks.

Despite existing differences Hikmatyar never desired to escalate tensions with the Taliban and always called for joint efforts to steer the country out of crises. He believed that one group cannot bring prosperity to Afghanistan as it was the collective responsibility of all Afghans to work for the development of the war-torn country without relying of strangers.

Another element that with Hikmatyar’s arrival the ground for talks with the Taliban could be paved was the HIA strongly believed on zero-level existing of foreign troops in Afghanistan. The HIA want foreign troops to leave Afghanistan and they showed their determination to fight politically for this cause. If it happens the Taliban would have then no reason to continue waging war as there will be no foreign forces in Afghanistan and thus the HIA will help bring the Taliban to the main stream and end decades long fighting in Afghanistan.

View expressed in this article are of the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Pajhwok’s editorial policy.