The burning of Holy Quran in the Bagram base has enraged different strata in Afghan society to a great extent. It is not only the religious circles that have shown their concerns, the overall Afghan society has stood strong against the act. There is no doubt that the act is careless and above all humiliating, if not intentional. Careless in the sense that no sensitivity has been shown in the act regarding the type and intensity of feelings that Afghan people have for their sacred book.

Moreover, even in the war there are certain important factors that have to be kept in consideration and showing respect to other religions or their religious practices, scriptures and places is a major one. However, it is important to note that this rule does not apply to the foreign troops alone; rather it has to be respected by all the parties that are involved in any war.

This particular incident has proved very much serious and has further effected the relations between the US and Afghan authorities. The incident has also widened the gap between the US and common Afghan people as well. So far the protests that have followed the incident have taken the lives of 40 people and they are still going on in different parts of Afghanistan. The authorities in the base have claimed that the Qurans have been used by the prisoners to pass messages. Therefore they were confiscated and sent to incinerator pit.

Though the foreign troops have seriously said sorry about the incident, they have not been able to make the situation calm down. The Afghan authorities have been claiming that there should be practical measures carried out against the culprits and they should be punished for their misdeed. Afghan government has been showing concerns about the Bagram base and have been demanding that the base should be given to the control of Afghan government.

Afghan President, on various occasions, has even mentioned that the strategic deal with US is conditioned with the stoppage of night-raids and the handover of Bagram base to Afghan control. This particular incident will further strengthen Afghan Presidential office's demand. The incident is also showing frustration. The fatigue of the war seems to be appearing within the foreign troops and they have been showing it in some way or the other. A few months earlier the video of the US Marines urinating on the Taliban's corpses was also an example of the manifestation of frustration.

It is also important to note that the gap is also increasing between the Afghan security forces and the foreign troops. There have been various incidents that have depicted this fact. On various occasions the Afghan security forces have opened fires on their foreign officers or trainers. Even after the incident of Bagram base a US lieutenant colenel and a major were shot from a close range when they were at work in an office in the heart of Interior Ministry, which is considered to be one of the most properly guarded offices in Afghanistan.

The incident made the rest of the US officials leave the ministry. This unfortunate incident and many before it show that the gap is widening greatly and the foreign troops may keep on facing threats from within the Afghan troops if no proper measures are carried out. An Afghan Ministry of Defence official, in this regard, said,"We must make great efforts to prevent infiltration.

This is a challenge for us... It's a very serious matter... If we don't deal with infiltration then Afghanistan will suffer. We will lose credibility with NATO and the rest of the international community... Our intelligence agencies will have to work on tapping phones and monitoring people's movements. The bigger the force gets the harder it will be to fight infiltration... Whether it is the Taliban or someone who is mentally ill we have to avoid it at any cost."

There are concerns that such incidents will also influence the reconciliation process that is going on. There have already been ambiguities and uncertainties about the process; these sort of issues will add fuel to the fire. Afghan Presidential office in this regard have been showing concerns for being left out of the process. Taliban do not seem to be getting ready for the talks. Afghan opposition parties and minority groups have been showing their concerns about the possible outcome of the process and Afghan public is totally oblivious of what is going on. Hence, the atmosphere is completely hazy and if these sort of situations add disturbances in the scenario the prospects will be totally dark.

On Friday, March 02, 2012, the Afghanistan's top religious council - the Ulema Council has demanded that the culprits of the Bagram base must be put on public trial. The Council is funded by the government after a meeting with President Karzai it said, "The Council insists that such a devilish act is not forgivable by apologies and that the perpetrators of this crime should soon be publically tried and punished... The council strongly condemns the heinous, inhumane, barbaric act of disrespecting the Koran and other religious books by American forces in Bagram base."

Though it is correct to condemn such type of acts, there are also possibilities that Afghan President may be using the issue to strengthen his stand for handing over the base to Afghan control, stopping the night raids and making a greater role in the reconciliation process.

Such types of incidents are really very much unfortunate and they should be avoided as much as possible. However, at the same time it should be taken care of that they should not be used so as to gain the political objectives. Many Protests have not been seen when there have been disrespect of Islamic scriptures and places in various other forms within the country. Terrorist groups on various occasions have targeted the mosques that have been packed with Muslims saying their prayers.

Does no body realize that the targeted mosques contain the holy religious scriptures that burn within the blazes that follow the explosions? And most importantly, is it not disrespect when the Muslims themselves use the holy scriptures for decoration alone and do not get guidance from them which can show them the true path - "Sirath e Mustaqim"?