Nawaz Sharif’s Dismissal Fuels Hope for Afghans to Have Better Ties with Pakistan

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif’s dismissal has generated a high level of optimism for Afghan government, with some hailing it as the beginning of a new era in the often acrimonious bilateral relationship.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court toppled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who resigned after the court ruled he was unfit to hold office and ordered a criminal investigation into his family over corruption allegations.

“We want the next Pakistani government to have a government-oriented relation with Afghanistan and expect practical steps in elimination of terrorist safe havens in its soil,” said Ahmad Shekib Mustaghni, spokesman of Afghan Foreign Ministry.

While Sharif’s government managed to survive, it had to pay the price in the form of ceding space to the army on crucial policy issues including the China Pakistan Economic Corridor where Army’s Fauji Foundation is expected to mint more money than any other Pakistani business.

Sharif always has had a tenuous relationship with the army chiefs that he appointed — remember one General Parvez Musharraf who had overthrown him in his coup — but the fact that he managed to sail through General Kayani and Sharif, had offered him a unique chance to become the only civilian prime minister to complete his terms. But his past has now caught up with him.

Analyst are said to believe that Afghanistan now has the great opportunity to complaint against Pakistan in international summits and reduce global support from Pakistan.

Afghan Parliament Member, Aziza Jaliz expressed pessimism over having a better relation with Pakistan. “We do not hope to have a new and better ties with Pakistan.”

President Ghani–in contrast to his early days as president when an Af-Pak rapprochement seemed possible, or at least closer to possible than under Karzai–has long since abandoned the pretense of bonhomie toward Islamabad. With each new horrific attack in Afghanistan, particularly attacks targeting civilians in urban areas, Ghani has reiterated his calls for Pakistan to do more to deal with terrorist safe havens within its borders.