What a bitter twist of history - peace in the war-ravaged Afghanistan that appeared to be close only a week ago is nowhere in sight today. The peace deal with Taliban was already initialed and President Trump was ready to host them at the Camp David. But that did not happen, and once again Afghanistan is drenched in blood. Taliban suicide bombers killed at least 48 people in two blasts on Tuesday - one at campaign rally of President Ashraf Ghani in the central Parawan province and the other in Kabul close to the American embassy. Around 80 persons, including women and children, were injured in the two bombings. That Taliban had warned people not to attend election rallies and "if they suffer any losses that is their own responsibility" is no justification. Taliban say they want to serve the Afghan, but until then feel no shame in killing them. President Ghani remained unhurt, and is said to be least demoralized. He is likely to win the upcoming election and there is no indication, whatsoever that he would be a changed Ashraf Ghani. He too is an Afghan; he will not pull out of the election race even if Taliban may kill many more. It looks as if killing innocent people is the only weapon of choice with Taliban.
They say Afghanistan is 'graveyard of empires'. But no more, today it is Afghan people's own graveyard. Now no outsider would like to get killed in Afghanistan. Just one killing of an American soldier instantly crumbled the year-long peace architecture so assiduously built by Zalamy Khalizad. For President Trump the peace deal that he was waiting to sign with Taliban was not worth the life of an American soldier. The deal is "dead", he said. For Taliban who didn't give much value to human life it was a bolt from the blue. They had no Plan-B. They returned empty-handed from Moscow and Tehran. And as for Pakistan, their usual shoulder to cry on, the Taliban shouldn't expect much because it is so copiously beset with its own problems. Also, the much-doubted strategic togetherness between them is no more in evidence. There is the growing sentiment, nurtured both by the government and people of Pakistan that Taliban must join the Afghan mainstream and become part of intra-Afghan socio-political cosmos. No Afghan is anybody's puppet, much less President Ashraf Ghani. If he is an ally of the United States today, while these very Taliban are also product of the same foundry.
Having travelled a long, treacherous road the Afghan have arrived at the fork - what to do next that is for them to decide. Outside world has run out of its options. One would agree with the growing perception in Kabul that on the whole both the regional and the all-powerful countries haven't dealt with Afghan people honestly. Repatriation of American troops is President Trump's top priority, and let that happen. Managing the post-withdrawal aftermath should be the Afghans' exclusive business. Hopefully, by now each one of the stakeholders knows where he stands in the public estimation. Yes, the Taliban can kill more people, but they don't have the support of the majority of Afghans. The Kabul rulers are also in dire need of public support. And between these two extremes there is the whole lot of Afghan people with whom the only hope and option is a peaceful Afghanistan. Time has come that contenders for power on both sides of the political divide and their respective patrons must give up their hard positions and sing the song of peace to the tune set by the vox populi. Forty years on, people of this impoverished country are left with no other choice.