India will ask Hamid Karzai to not rely on Pakistan

India’ concerns over developments in Afghanistan will be raised when President Hamid Karzai arrives here for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday.

Karzai will arrive on Monday and leave for Thimpu, the Bhutanese capital, on Tuesday, to attend the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit.

Karzai’s visit to India was thought of at the last minute, with no earlier indication from South Block that he would stop en route for a bilateral visit. 

His visit comes at a time when a number of developments have taken place in Afghanistan. The Indian leadership plans to find out from the Afghan President, how he will go about organizing the peace `jirga’. 

The ‘jirga’ is slated to be held, once Karzai returns next month from his Washington visit. India is worried that the “peace jirga” might pave the way for Taliban’sentry into the government in Afghanistan.

Since the London Conference, a serious move has been afloat by western countries to try and find ways of inducting the Taliban into a power-sharing arrangement with the government in Afghanistan. India had earlier opposed any distinction between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban, but had to cave in after the US and other NATO countries backed the initiative.

India’s main worry is that if the Taliban comes into a power-sharing agreement with the government, it will bring back Pakistan’s influence in the country.

It was not long back that a Taliban government backed by Pakistan led to Afghanistan becoming the epicenter of terror. New Delhi is aware that Islamabad is trying its best to diminish India’s presence in Afghanistan. The attacks on Indians is backed by the ISI hoping to frighten New Delhi into reducing its presence in that war ravaged nation.

During the talks, Indian official say that Delhi will caution Karzai about seeking Islamabad’s help. India, along with many other people in Afghanistan believes that a stable and peaceful Afghanistan is not in Pakistan’s interest.

Pakistani will thus try and ensure there is no peace in the country unless the Taliban, particularly those under Pakistan’s control, are made part of the power-sharing arrangement in Kabul. Karzai is scheduled to meet Manmohan Singh and President Pratibha Patil.