By Abdul Ahad Bahrami

Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) and the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, have signed a memorandum on expansion of intelligence cooperation between the two spy agencies. Haseeb Sediqi, the spokesman of the NDS, told a press conference on Monday May 18, 2015 that the agreement is aimed at expanding cooperation between the two countries on intelligence and security matters. According to the spokesman, the agreement has clearly defined threats for both countries, specifying “all terrorist and extremist groups that are considered as threats and are active in various areas”. The agreement between Afghanistan’s NDS and Pakistan’s ISI is coming after months of heightened political and diplomatic efforts between the two countries to chart a future course for the Afghan peace efforts.

The agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan is viewed as milestone in security cooperation between the two countries two tackles common threats. With the government of Afghanistan struggling to kick-start peace talks with Taliban, the remarkable agreement of cooperation in security and intelligence areas is a sign of firm resolve from both countries to expand cooperation that is ultimately aimed at establishing close relations between the two countries. In last fourteen years, Afghanistan and Pakistan had had largely strained relations which rendered both sides unable of establishing relations based on mutual interests. However, since the National Unity Government (NUG) came to power in Afghanistan, the two countries moved to rapidly improve relations and commit to cooperate on resuming peace negotiations with the Taliban.

Afghanistan and Pakistan’s security is deeply intertwined, and the two countries cannot guarantee security in their respective countries without an extensive and long term security partnership. The shared border between the two countries is largely porous and extremists freely cross the border as they routinely move back and forth to the other side destabilizing both countries. An intelligence partnership between the two countries will provide both sides to monitor the shared border more closely and control crossing of the extremist elements. Tight control of the shared border will considerably limit ability of the Taliban and insurgent groups to recruit militants and train them in their safe havens in tribal areas of Pakistan.

Also the government of Afghanistan can expand its control on Taliban financial resources and the drugs smuggling which directly profits the insurgent groups. The only viable way to fight the Taliban is to keep military pressures along with peace efforts. Robust and successful military operations against the insurgent groups could be possible only if the government of Afghanistan strengthens its surveillance on activities of the militant groups not only inside the country but also in the areas of the shared border with Pakistan. Pakistan can greatly help Afghanistan in the war against the insurgency if the two countries manage to set the differences that have failed them so far to stabilize both countries and end the militancy.

Pakistan is believed to have an extensive control on the militant group Taliban, and its intelligence cooperation can help Afghanistan to keep pressures on Taliban and other insurgent groups and force them to come to table of negotiations. The insurgent groups would have no safe havens on both sides of the shared border if the two agencies cooperate and share intelligence in whereabouts of the insurgent groups and the safe havens of the militants on both sides of the border. The Taliban is believed to have training camps in Pakistan and from where they send fighters in Afghanistan and destabilize the country. If the Afghan and Pakistani spy agencies manage to expand cooperation and share intelligence, Afghanistan will be able to eliminate most of sources of threats that is posed to the country.

There are mixed reactions to the agreement between Afghan and Pakistani intelligence agencies. Many believe that it would help the two countries to further cooperation in tackling with the insurgent groups that are operating in both countries. However, there are also widespread skepticisms in Afghanistan towards the agreement signed between the two spy agencies. Many MPs angrily expressed their anger at the agreement on Monday calling for impeachment of the Director of the NDS. This suggests the fears and skepticisms that exist regarding more extensive security and intelligence cooperation between the two nations as so far there is no concrete progress achieved by Kabul and Islamabad for peace in Afghanistan.

The agreement is a welcome development between the two countries, and is a sign of rapid improvement of bilateral relations. However, the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan need to work more sincerely for combating the insurgency and brining peace in both countries. Only tangible progress on this regard would appease the public regarding the nature of the expanded relations between the two countries. Public trust is key for both governments to succeed in their efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan and defeat militancy and insurgency in both countries. The key factor for success of any agreement between the two neighbors on security is improvement of political relations between the countries.

Much of the credit for diffusing mistrusts in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations goes to the National Unity government and particularly President Ashraf Ghani’s regional policies. However, security and intelligence agencies of both countries should realize the public skepticisms towards the expanding security cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad. What is important in this agreement is that Pakistan should respect Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and security. For the mutual relations and stability in both countries, Kabul and Islamabad should cooperate honestly and genuinely to expand security partnership in the long term.