Dilawar Sherzai

It is really threatening to see the amassing of terrorism with each passing day in Afghanistan. It is the time in Afghanistan when the scenario should be going through improvements and efforts should be made to stabilize the situation. The coming few years are really very important and will decide the future of Afghanistan after 2014. The real transition is on the way; there are great changes expected and if Afghanistan's socio-political scenario is not grounded on stable footings, expectation for a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan would be just a wool gathering.

It is truly concerning to see the situation deteriorating. There has been increase in the last few months in the different forms of insurgency; and people from different factions have been targeted. The number of attacks on the foreign troops has been increased both by the alleged Afghan security forces and the terrorists; the number of attacks on the civilians has increased as well and there are different indications in the form of conservative and violating practices throughout the country that show that Talibanization is on the rise and will keep on rising unless somber efforts are made to control the drift.

Proving the above statements true, there was a suicide attack in Aibak the capital of northern Samangan province on Saturday, July 14, 2012. The attack was carried out in the marriage ceremony of an MP, Ahmad Khan Samangani's daughter and it killed around 20 people and injured more than 40.

It was reported that MP Ahmad Khan Samangani, Western zone police commander Syed Ahmad Sami and some other top-ranking officials were killed in the attack. Samangan police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Khali Andarabi said that also killed in the blast were a senior interior minister official and a jihadi commander from northern Balkh province; while ex-governor of Sar-i-Pul Syed Iqbal Munib, Wolesi Jirga member Ishaq Rahguzar are among the injured; Eight policemen and six intelligence agents were also wounded.

The local news reports suggested that another security official, who did not want to be named, revealed the provincial intelligence chief, former Samangan governor Iqbal Munib, Senator Mohamad Asif, Zalmai Younisi, a local leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami, and a Balkh MP were among the dead.

The concern regarding the attack is really very huge as the attack has been able to target many VIP's and that the attack has been carried out in a social ceremony. Marriage ceremonies are mostly the occasions of entertainment and they are the events that are responsible for bringing bliss and happiness. Tragedies in such ceremonies have really far reaching psychological impacts. Moreover, terrorist acts in such ceremonies target many innocent civilians as well. However, it can be observed that recently Taliban have intensified their attacks even on the civilians.

They do not hesitate to target the civilian ceremonies and the civilian entertainment opportunities. Few weeks earlier they targeted a picnic point in Kabul that also resulted in the death of several civilians. In addition, the civilian efforts towards peace and prosperity have also been targeted by Taliban recently. The poison attacks on school girls and the efforts to shut the schools in Ghazni and target the civilians who guard them have been evident examples in this regard.

With the deterioration of peace and tranquility there are dangers that war, which Afghan and US official claim has ended, may continue; if not the war against terrorism, some other war may be initiated, unless a true transition happens. So, in the so-called final phase of the war, the war is getting notorious to a larger extent. It is not just the Western public who consider it notorious; the people in Afghanistan have started thinking in the same manner.

They are basically the ones who have been suffering and may suffer to a further extent if instability and terrorism prevail in the country. It is really pathetic to see the civilians losing their lives when they have nothing to do with the war. In the economically unstable and war-torn country like Afghanistan, people have not only suffered the hardships of the poor and miserable lives but also the horrors of war.

They have been killed mercilessly as if their lives do not have any value or meaning and it is important to see that the Taliban are mostly behind the demise of the poor civilians. It is really unfortunate to note that they still remain powerful enough to conduct their merciless efforts to target the civilians in addition to the Afghan and international forces.

Different attacks, bombings, shootings and suicide bombings of the vicious guardians of the so-called holy war have only been able to target the children, women and non-military figures. With the presence of such facts, it is weird to find Taliban calling themselves friendly to Afghan people.

They have been trying to develop an image of caring and affectionate body that is trying to liberate the people of Afghanistan from the Western forces. But the fact is just on the contrary. They just want power and for that they will never hesitate to sacrifice the poor Afghan people. If they come to power, it is evident that Afghan people will never have peace, contentment and above all their due rights.Coupled with the rise in terrorism there is the concern of the lack of professionalism and commitment of Afghan troops. They have not been able to show great determination towards their duties and seem to be easily distracted by the terrorists. There have been many occasions when Afghan soldiers have raised arms against their foreign officers. Moreover, there has been severe unease about the corruption that has been able to creep within the Afghan forces. There have been many occasions when they are found violating the law themselves.

With the current rise and swelling wave of terrorism, it should not be neglected that Taliban have been able to grow largely in the recent few years. The transition period, instead of pointing towards progress and improvement, seems to be going the other way. In fact the overall process of transition does not seem to be working well. This period does not have to be only a transfer of security responsibility from international forces to Afghan forces, rather it should be comprehensive enough to include within its folds the overall political and economic stability and better life opportunities for all the Afghan people.

The post transition period in Afghanistan has to be a period that can give poverty stricken Afghan people their basic requirements; provide them better representation and participation in political and social life; make them capable of governing themselves appropriately.

Dilawar Sherzai is the permanent writer of the Daily outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at dilawar.sherzai@gmail.com

The Daily Outlook, 16 July 2012