The Taleban or the Pashtun people are an 8th century formation of a tribal community converted from Buddhists, Hindus and Jews. They are predominantly concentrated in Peshawar, Banu and Baluchistan regions of Pakistan and the entire Afghanistan. They are 60 million strong worldwide and 20 million(50%)of the Afghan population. They follow a pashtunwali code of conduct and an ardent and crude form of sharia law unlike the peaceful aspects of Islam.
I have read the verses of the holy Quran and lectures on the same and my understanding of Islam is similar to the opinion expressed by the Khaleej Times writer in this article. The main idea here is that Islam and violence have opposite polarities altogether.
Among the 1800 million people of the Islamic world only 2 to 3% misguided people are aligned with religious extremism and trying take on the world. But it is only pertinent to think out loud on who could be working behind the scenes to launch them. The answer is not hard to find, USA, Russia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and a few others as well in minor roles.
The idea was mooted with ulterior motives to launch occupational imperialism. Poor and innocent people were recruited, trained to exercise hatred by embedding a false sharia doctrine and were armed to get into the public domain.
Saudi Arabia played their part by establishing Madrasas in Pakistan to preach Wahhabism to such recruits which they repent now, since the doctrine of Wahhabism is slowly being eradicated under the able leadership of the young crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman since 2017 .
But the current development under the Taleban is not unidimensional in nature. There are many such entities lying low, perhaps cutting across religions, castes and nations of the world.
The only equation putting the Taleban and their associates in global limelight is the heavily armed terror point.
Therefore we all are at a position of serious introspection so as to find harmony within the chaos. This is not specific only to Central Asia, but the entire world over. Beyond the breast beating and outpouring of outrage over the dramatic collapse of the Afghan regime and the fast track Taleban take over, there lies genuine uncertainties about the developing political fallout.
If the Taleban regime is sensible enough to toe a democratic line, India and other democratic institutions world over will embrace them with passion.
But if they are going to behave like they have in the past, they are in for big trouble.
Either way what India’s position now is dependent on what unfolds – wait and watch… diplomatically befriend them… reason with them… thereby persuading them to a sort of demo tracking towards a glorious future.
If they go the other way, then this Central Asian country is going to be the terror capital of the future world. All non-state actors like Pakistani Taleban, Islamic state, Al-Quaeda, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Boko Haram etc are going to mobilize their resources there. They will then pan out to the entire world with this as a pivotal terror point.
If this is the case, then India has many things to lose – The investment of 3 Billion USD -The entry of India to Central Asia and beyond through Chabahar port of Iran-The loss of our centuries old cultural and heritage bond with a country that gave us Gandhari and the frontier Gandhi.
There are many more in the list of permanent losses!
Let us hope that good sense prevails, when they take the ultimate test for their future destiny.
