A New Bond

Pak-Afghan youth can act as ‘agents of change’ to shun historical wrongs, misconceptions

Pakistani and Afghan youth can work together to remove misconceptions between the two nations regarding historical, social and political myths. They have misapprehensions regarding various issues like Durand Line, shared boundaries, water resources and several others.

Both countries have been playing the blame game with each other for a long time, however, conflicts also bring opportunities to understand the other party. It’s high time the educated youth on both sides come together and have a dialogue about the challenges faced by the future generations on both sides of the border.

Experts on Afghan-Pak issues opined that the educated youth of both countries are the catalyst for lasting development, especially if more opportunities are crafted for Afghan women’s economic empowerment and education, it will help change the entire scenario. Hence, the youngsters are instrumental in that constructive dialogue at all levels.

The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), University of Peshawar (UoP) in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) is engaged in bringing together the Pakistani and Afghan youth to discuss the issues faced by the younger generation on both sides. Several issues must be discussed like border problems, fake propaganda, accusing each other, education needs and prospects for Afghans in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan.

While speaking to Bol News, Director IPCS Dr Babar Shah said, “We are striving to bring educated Afghan youth to discuss the issues with their peers here and the dialogue would be fruitful because youth are very open and discuss things with an open heart.”

He maintained that the youth constitutes 60 per cent of the Pakistani population, and Afghans living in Pakistan also contain a large number of youngsters among them. “So besides their social interaction in the society, we are providing them an opportunity to discuss everything which irritates their minds, be it, Durand Line, soaring ties between the two nations, blame game as well as educational needs of Afghan students besides the legal problems they are facing within Pakistan,” he said.

Dr Shah remarked that huge damage has been caused by polluting the minds of both Pakistani and Afghans, so it’s high time that the potential of the youth needs is utilised for better understanding and cooperation between the two countries as now we have a new share of highly educated Afghans who are discussing things with logic.

The University of Peshawar Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Zahid Anwar said, “Such dialogues are a must and will help understand the real issues of conflict between the two nations which has always estranged their ties despite Pakistan’s support to Afghan brothers.” He further added that Afghanistan has been facing a humanitarian crisis for the last several years and they should be assisted to come out of this crisis.

“The best way is to help educate Afghan youth and provide them with job opportunities. Once economically sound, other things will be settled with time,” said the IPCS director, adding that rumours and myths need to be quelled to make up the soaring ties and for that, the educated Afghan youth are the best remedy who better understand the reality of the situation.

FNF Senior Programme Manager Amir Amjad remarked that Pakistan shares historical, cultural and economic relations with Afghanistan so there is a dire need for a cordial relationship and all misunderstandings must be removed. “Afghans are going through difficult times but crisis always brings opportunities and youth who are the leaders of tomorrow should explore and cash in on such opportunities,” he said.

UNHCR Senior Representative Nasir Azam is of the view that a constructive dialogue among academia and students is always fruitful as youth are the economic engine of any country so they must be engaged for a prosperous Afghanistan having durable ties with Pakistan.

He highlighted that the Afghan youth are in dire need of specialised education and employment opportunities and Pakistan is their best definition. “The prime focus should be to generate more opportunities for Afghan women in the education and employment sector as educated girls are a guarantee for stable Afghanistan.”

Echoing Azam’s views, Samim Ahmed, an Afghan graduate of Bio-Technology Department, University of Peshawar, told Bol News that youth is the messenger of peace and brotherhood for both Pakistan and Afghanistan and can defeat those forces who are out to create differences between the two brotherly nations for their vested interests.

“The often misreported events from outside on social media create problems for local Afghans, like the recent cricket conflict; these should be avoided. We are here for education and jobs in Pakistan and such incidents instigate hate which should be avoided,” he said.

Ahmed further added that the Afghan youth are up for social cohesion and have been creating awareness among fellow Afghans to shun differences with Pakistan as it’s their second home. “We are here for years so there is a dire need of snubbing historical wrongs and stereotypes attributed to hearsay but it could only be done by educating Afghans and generating positive discussions on issues misreported and misquoted.

Wafa Sumbal, an MPhil scholar and social activist who got her degree from Agriculture University Peshawar told Bol News that the youth is the major force which can create social cohesion between the two countries. “Historical wrongs, the Durand Line, the shared borders and conflict-related blame game need to be discussed objectively as these should not be the ground reasons for soaring ties. The social media adventures are also causing troubles which need to be tackled through visionary approach as acts of violence by a few cannot be made a precedent for blaming the entire nation.”

The social activist further maintained that the Afghan youth must be given an opportunity in government jobs and their quota must be increased in the universities as well. “The Afghan students at primary and secondary levels are facing a lot of issues in admissions in government schools as many of them had never been to Afghanistan for years, so the compulsion of visas for school admissions must be waived off to facilitate them.”

She suggested that there is an utmost need for constructive discussion among the youth on all controversial issues to remove misconceptions. “Most of the young Afghans had cordial relations with Pakistani families for years and they even wanted to live here permanently, so a proper mechanism must be devised to help them stay legally here and contribute to Pakistan’s development as it is our second home now,” said Sumbal.

Another Afghan student Aminullah stated that the rumour mongers and trouble makers everywhere need to be tackled and defeated as Pakhtuns can only progress once they are united.