Iftikhar Ahmad Mohmand
The world at the moment is way more different than it was almost quarter a century back when Taliban took Kabul in the 90s. It has become more interdependent, more democratic, but in a more, to which the structural realist would term, anarchic state. The rise of China, its quest for world dominance, coupled by the junior role of Russia, challenging the US led Liberal hegemonic international order, has set the stage for great power politics or could simply be termed as a multi-polar world. The fall of Kabul on August the 15th had been deemed in the scholarly circles as the dawn of the doom for the unipolar world as the role of US as a watchman state came to an instant halt. Taliban government’s pursuance of recognition in the multi-polar world best fit in the Platonic Concept of “Pharmakon”, as it brings opportunities, of survival, as well as challenges for the Taliban’s diplomatic expertise. After capturing the infamous capital, Kabul, on August 15th 2021, Taliban realised the anarchic nature of the world politics, thus opting for a more fragmentary foreign policy approach aiming to pursue countries on the individual bases rather than engaging and convincing the Watchman state, for recognition, the US, with which they played a deadly war for two decades. In the first year of their cease of Kabul there were rigorous activities on the diplomatic front. According to the “Washington Institute for Near East Policy” Taliban’sgovernment had 378 diplomatic meetings with 35 different countries in their first year in power. In a recent interview to the national television, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi categorically said “there are no prominent obstacles to the external affairs of Islamic Emirate that could halt it, making no difference than being recognised in the international community”. Answering to question regarding foreign policy preferences, A. K Muttaqi extended ” Our foreign policy will be of non-alignment and will serve the interest of Afghan people”. The acting foreign minister had four days visit to Pakistan for the fifth trilateral dialogue between Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. According to the joint statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, “the three sides agree to deepen and expand their cooperation in security, development and political fields based on mutual respect, equal consultations and mutual benefits”. This determines the room available to roam around for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. According to Arab News reports Islamic Emirate has replaced the former government diplomatic Missions with their own in 14 different countries including their immediate neighbours Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, China and Russia. The spokes person of Islamic Emirate Zabiullah Mujahid expressed that the diplomatic missions of the Ghani Government to Indonesia, Egypt, Tajikistan and Italy has agreed with the Emirates and will work in coordination With Islamic Emirate. Although there are reports that the Embassy in Italy is divided between two factions, one holds on to the title of the former regime and the latter aim to work on behalf of the Taliban Government. As it is clear that Taliban government is working their way out to normalise relations and gain control of the Embassies in each country individually, thus aiming to have foothold in world politics. Behind this fragmenting approach to world politics and the normalisation of relations by the Islamic Emirate is the democratic nature of the world. Contrary to their advantages and room to roam, due to the shifting international order, they had, on the diplomatic front, for the past two an half years, there lays challenges, which have not surmounted yet. This fragmentary approach requires greater resources and human capital, which is scarce in IEA, to be deployed to pursue the countries for recognition. They haven’t been recognised formally yet, they failed to release their frozen assets, they haven’t convince the world on human rights violations allegations most prominent could be the ban on girls education and keeping their words of preventing Afghan soil to be used for terrorist activities. They have to convince the world, presenting itself a modern welfare state which seems a tedious task to overcome.Thus, great power politics or a Multi-polar world for the Taliban Government is poison as well as remedy, to survive.