If you are desirous to know the dignity of food, you must ask it from a man who lives in poverty. If you are desirous to know the dignity of health, you must go and inquire its value from a man who has been suffering due to sickness. And in the same way if you are desirous to know the value of peace you must go and ask a man who has grown up witnessing war and only war in his life like the millions of people in Afghanistan. Peace is the basic right of a human being and absence of peace is felt more in Afghanistan that has been burning on fire over the last three decades.

Yesterday was the World Peace Day which is also called International Day of Peace and it is celebrated annually on September 21. The day is marked by many nations across the world including Afghanistan. Peace day gains little attention in Afghanistan – a country that has been in dire need of peace. For common Afghans, peace day is just like other days. Many of them are unaware of the day and as usual get busy earning livelihood on which they wholly and solely depend for their living. But it, of course, does not mean they are not supporters of peace.

At times when Afghanistan is suffering the worst consequences of decades of war, the World Peace Day holds significant importance for this country. Today, Afghans are in urgent need of peace. They are the people who know the real meaning and importance of peace as they have been suffering war in its worst forms. Afghans want peace, no doubt but as we are moving ahead in Afghanistan it seems like things will get worse than becoming better.

In order to bring peace to Afghanistan, the present administration launched its so-called peace reconciliation program in the beginning of 2010 to bring Taliban back to normal Afghan society. In the same year the High Peace Council was formed to facilitate peace talks with Taliban.

Former President of Afghanistan, Burhan–ud-Din Rabbani was appointed as chairman of the High Peace Council. But just a day before the annual World Peace Day, on September 20, 2011 Rabbani got killed in his own home by a suicide bomber who had concealed explosive material in his turban – then a new tactic by Taliban that also killed Mayor of Kandahar city and head of Afghanistan Cleric Council in Kandahar in the same year.

That murder of Afghanistan chief peace envoy established that fact that Taliban have no true intention to resolve the Afghan conflict through table talks and till date they have continued slaughtering the innocent people of Afghanistan. However, Taliban's continuation of violence has not prevented the government of Afghanistan from putting efforts in bringing an end to the conflict through political ways.

Political instability and economic vulnerability have reached their climax while security is at its worst. After thirty years of bloodshed, the people of Afghanistan are travelling towards a vague destination. Uncertainty prevails in the country as the condition goes opposite to what the countries backing Afghanistan under the banner of international community had promised – peace and prosperity.

Will peace come to the life of Afghans one day? Although that is what Afghans ask themselves and each other every day, on the international peace day one feels eager to know the answer of this question. No one can give a clear cut answer to this question. For Afghanistan, peace is confined to the deceptive promises and commitments only and in practice there is nothing.

Since 2001, with every year ending in Afghanistan the figures of civilian and military deaths make a record increase. Every year is bloodier than its preceding one both for Afghanistan and its foreign backers. Soldiers die because they do or die, why should the civilians die? The growing graph of civilian casualties caused majorly by Taliban raids have been a matter of great concern for Afghans. Regretfully, the government of Afghanistan has not been able to take any major steps to counter the continued killings of innocent Afghans – except condemnations.

Our destination is still vague despite a decade long international military and civil campaign. The security that has got worse with each passing year is questioning the roles and functions of security forces, Afghan government and its international allies.

This has up to a major extent defamed the counterinsurgency war led by United States and has greatly increased the concerns of Afghans. Insurgents' planned attacks that include suicide/roadside bombings, target killings, direct clashes with security forces and kidnappings continue. Taliban are responsible for the lingering violence in our country – no doubt. But why should they be able to destroy peace and harmony in country where many-thousand strong NATO force is present in addition to about 350,000 Afghan national security forces?

For Afghans, life is turning violent as they are not only pressed by bad security but by economic problems too. Our dependency on foreign countries' financial aids continues to rise while our government has failed to come up with alternatives that could bring us out of the economic vulnerability.

Over 90 percent of our government development and operational expenditures are paid from the funds Afghanistan receives from international donor countries. Concerns over economy have become manifold as the international community has started withdrawing from Afghanistan. Financial aids to Afghanistan will not remain as is and will shrink with the diminishing role of Western countries in the coming years - putting Afghanistan into more economic troubles. The fact that Afghanistan is extremely vulnerable economically will push this country towards sever financial crises beyond 2014.

Today the little peace in Afghans' life seems to be at the stake of being lost considering the crucial juncture where Afghanistan is standing. Worst security and economic condition is turning life in Afghanistan to move towards a completely vague destination and long term peace and stability seem to be never coming. Afghanistan will reverse towards its nineties, if proper and timely measures are not taken by the international community and relevant authorities.