The year is 2002 and the Afghan Militia Force (AMF) is being morphed into Afghan National Army (ANA) under the US/Western tutelage. Marshal Fahim, Defence Minister in the then Afghan Interim Administration (AIA), while arguing for the size of the force, considers Pakistan to be a greater threat and lobbies for a larger ANA. That hostile thinking, despite the Pakistan-assisted takeover of Kabul by the IEA forces in 2021, persists. Despite consistent friendly overtures, extreme patience and nudging by Pakistan towards helpful bilateralism, anti-Pakistan especially anti-ISI, anti-Army and anti-Punjab sentiment persists among Afghans across the board, including the rank and file of IEA, many of whom benefitted and continue to benefit from Pakistan's good offices, hospitality and interlocution on their behalf. Common citizenry is also hand-in-glove as gleaned from their derogatory and uncivil comments on social media. The Afghan media-houses in and outside Afghanistan are further inflaming this sentiment. The core frustration is to blame Pakistan et al for all of Afghanistan's troubles, past, present and likely in the future.

It is a sad situation, considering Pakistan has shielded and hosted around five million Afghan refugees (ARs) since former Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan around 1979, despite Islamabad not being a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. Afghan men, women and children were afforded dignity; and provided security, education, healthcare and employment - the four basics not available even in today's Afghanistan under IEA. Pakistan, its 'infamous' ISI and its 'Punjabi' establishment not only orchestrated the withdrawal of foreign troops twice from Afghan soil,........

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