The rise of an unstable mixture of society in Afghanistan

The recent suicide attacks and communal violence in Afghanistan mostly disturbed the process of economic, political and physical reconstruction. Without strong institutions, economic network, well functioning state machinery, the war-torn country faces many challenges. Agricultural life has been disturbed by the inordinate poppy cultivation that promotes insurgency and instability in the country. The process of the ethnicization, sectarianization, talibanization and the containerization of black market economy has challenged the state authority in the country.

In the past 350 years, more than 190 states are barely 50 years old but Afghanistan has a prolix journey of state and nation building. In political philosophy, states are political entity that has a recognized territory and population with strong bases of nationalism, but the case in Afghanistan is different. Nation in the country has divided on ethnic and religious bases. There is no common language and psychological attachment to nationalism.

Both nation building and state consolidation in certain transitional have been delayed by factors of domestic and international. In Afghanistan, a social cleavage between competing ethnic, linguistic, religious and economic groups frequently causes or exacerbates fragmentation, undercutting the concept of nation.

Economic collapse and poor political institutionalization has further fractured Afghan society. The state is on the verge of disappearance and dismemberment due to the recent power struggle. The combination of all these factors led to unrest, ethnic and sectarian violence in the country. A new chapter of civil war is about to be opening in near future.

Weak states, like Afghanistan have distinctive political, social, economic and geographic characters. Among these are limited political institutionalization, strong ethnic, linguistic and sectarian divisions and the slow process of state and nation reconstruction. Prior to the Taliban years, the political, economic and physical infrastructure of the country had been ultimately undermined. A criminal culture developed and warlords tighten their control over the regional criminal market. Afghanistan's 24000 villages, 365 districs, 34 provinces and 30000 Km roads have been ruined by the warlord's private armies.

The nexus of terrorism and drug trafficking in Afghanistan is another issue widely discussed in international press. As the region\'s core state, how Afghanistan builds a strong political and security framework by eliminating safe havens for terrorists and narco-traffickers is critical for regional stability. The United States has no specific interest in undermining drug trafficking and criminal economic network in the country. Insurgents groups like Taliban in Afghanistan have played a major role in many aspects of the narcotics problem emanating from the region, from the protection of opium cultivation and heroin production to the creation and protection of trafficking routes.

Involvement of government officials in drug trafficking and the promotion of illegal trade in the region is a big security threat.

Narco-insurgent nexus, narco-military preparations and the container politics from Gwadar to Kandahar is the most dangerous criminal market network that finances insurgency in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The prolix war in this region have displaced thousands of individuals and forced many to immigrate to neighboring countries or beyond. Afghans were displaced in millions and their country has been ultimately undermined and, now Pakistanis are being displaced in thousands, their beautiful country is being ruined step by step. The insurgency in Pakistan has, to much extent, links with the narco dollars. Neighboring states have deeply established terror network in the communal, sectarian and political violence of the country. They have all but destroyed the basic infrastructure and communication system of the country in NWFP and Balochistan provinces.

Terrorist groups plotting from safe havens on Afghanistan and Pakistan soils are the greatest threat to regional security. Both the countries are again under siege, almost eight years after the fall of the Taliban from power, displaced Al Qaeda training camps, and set the stage for the so-called Afghan democracy. The security situation has grown worse every year. People are died, kidnapped, women are raped and the production of narcotics is increased.

The government of Hamid Karzai remains exceptionally weak - it has not been able to exert authority outside of the capital in Kabul. Corruption and basic lawlessness is the real obstacle to U.S. and NATO efforts to confront the Taliban and maintain the support of the Afghan people. Instability in the wake of the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq has resulted in one booming market for the production of drugs, and a second potential market for narcotics sale and transit. "All post-conflict situations, whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, are always characterized by a significant increase in addiction," said Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the United Nations' Office on Drug and Crimes. The warlords who are already operating in both Pakistan and Afghanistan have links with the insurgent groups. They have established a joint criminal network across the border.

The security environment remains volatile and unpredictable.  No part of Afghanistan should be considered immune from violence, and the potential exists throughout the country for hostile acts, either targeted or random, against American and other western nationals at all times. High rates of unemployment, increasing migration to urban areas, and poor capacity of police forces contribute to crime and lawlessness.

Inter ethnic rivalries and insurgency, political violence, land grabbing in the North and the recent Kuchi invasion on Behsood district in Wardak province indicate that there is no state authority in the country. In 2007 and 2008, confrontations between the Hazaras and Kuchi nomads (Pashtun) have sporadically erupted into violent clashes.  Afghan officials feared that the two groups may resort to more widespread violence.  Pashtun, Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks attacking each other in all parts of the country. Dr, Muhaqqiq has been on hunger strike requiting the government and international community for help against the Kuchi invasion. From January to March 2008, insurgents launched over 1,000 attacks countrywide.  In Pakistan, insurgents have gained more strength.  The two suicide attacks, which were subsequently claimed by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Maulvi Omar, at Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Wah, killing more than 70 workers and officials of the factories, are a dangerous development in the terror war in Pakistan. The Pakistani mind is turning pro-Al Qaeda in the same measure as it is turning against the government in Pakistan.

At least 95 people, including 18 tribesmen, were killed and more than 200 injured in fresh armed clashes between warring tribes in the Kurram Agency on Sunday, August 30,  2008. In Parachinar and Kurran agency, over 100 people were killed and 200 injured on August 30 2008. Injured persons were shifted to hospitals in Kotal, Hangu, Sadda and Parachinar. On the other hand, area residents were facing a shortage of food items and medicine due to closure of the central highway. In another missile attack in Miranshah, several foreign militants including Arabs and Uzbeks were killed.

The writer is Executive Editor of Daily Outlook Afghanistan and author of 156 books on terrorism, extremism, and human trafficking, Afghanistan, drug trafficking and foreign policy studies and is based in London, UK.