Coming closer to the end, the very generous aids poured in Afghanistan for the last one decade have affected things considerably. Certain promising changes are seen in Afghan economy, military, politics and social activities. However, things needed to change more tangibly and it was expected at the beginning of the new era in post-Taliban Afghanistan.
Short term remedies, wavering decisions and approaches and lack of the required level of coordination among national and international stakeholders leave the country suffering from the same troubles that suppressed Afghans a decade ago. At the top of priorities that received insufficient attention from Afghan government and the international allies stands rehabilitation of economic infrastructures.
The country needs to establish alternative resources to produce the required income to fund the country's budget and address the severing needs. There remains one substantial requirement to ensure economic viability of the process launched by international assistances. Increased economic ties can help Afghanistan build a prosperous future.
Economic ties are called as "low politics" in political sciences discussions. It has served as an unswerving basis for high politics. Boosting economic and cultural ties among nations can bring about more political integration. Regional alliances and trade ties are sometimes aimed at decreasing political tensions and put off rivalries.
The increasing economic relations and regional trade conventions have led to more interconnectedness and global and regional interdependence. The countries with more shared economic interests have given up most of political contentions.
This is actually the increasing joint economic interests that form governments' political approaches at regional and global stages. Theorists are progressively emphasizing at creating productive politics via building more economic relations.
On the other hand, post-conflict countries are urged to focus more on low politics to build promising high politics. Economic means would better help declining violence, tensions and enmities because of economic essence of certain conflicts.
Afghanistan has tried various ways of reconstruction and peace building process, most of which has led to total futility. Therefore, the country needs to shift views to productive economic plans rather than old mechanisms to overcome the exhausting challenges on the way to build a developed, secure and democrat Afghanistan. Regional economic schemes can help wipe out political rivalries and promote better understanding and more peaceful and cooperative approaches.
Afghan officials are now hopeful to gain political achievements through TAPI gas pipeline project, in addition to its economic revenues. The leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan had agreed to construct a gas pipeline through Afghanistan's war zone, supporting the US-backed project to help the regional economy using abundant Turkmen gas reserves.
The proposed Afghan section of the pipeline runs through southern Taliban heartlands where the central government has only a tenuous grip, despite the presence of tens of thousands of foreign troops meant to bolster security. To get the project implemented, afghan government is making efforts to attract technical, political and economic supports at regional and global levels.
On Monday, Chairman of Asian Bank and western bank met with Mines minister and promised their further assistances for development of gas pipeline sector and transferring of gas from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India via Afghanistan. Experts maintain that the project can lead to further political convergence between Pakistan and India and improve the overall regional stability.