Blacklisting Haqqani as Terrorists May Backfire: Afghan Analysts

Afghan political experts fear that a possible vote in US Congress to blacklist the Haqqani network a terrorist organisation will only further the cause of the Islamic militants.

With Congress expected to vote on the bill on Tuesday in the US, Afghan analysts said nothing good would come from the Haqqani network being specially designated as such. Kabul University political lecturer Nasratullah Stanikzai said it may even popularise the group.

"The US want to pressure both Pakistan and the Haqqani network, but really, this step of America will give the [Haqqani] network more fame all around the world," Stanikzai said.

Political analyst Moeen Marastyal said that Afghans would be the victims of any adverse reaction to the bill being passed.

"If the Haqqani network is included in the blacklist, innocent Afghan people will be the victims of this action. There will be no other good result," he said.

"In my opinion, the US should unify all countries and groups to not support any insurgents groups. In this way, they [Haqqani] will not be able to have insurgency activities in Afghanistan," he added.

US officials have accused the Haqqani network as the group behind a number of deadly attacks seen in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan, specifically the attack on the US Embassy in Kabul in September last year.

The move to officially designate them as terrorists is seen as a step towards pressuring Pakistan to do more to stop the insurgency.

According to media reports, US State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told journalists in Washington DC on Monday that the Haqqani network was involved in attacks on US troops in Afghanistan and that the US wants Pakistan to stop the network's activities.

He said that during the Tokyo conference, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and urged Pakistan to do more to counteract the Haqqani network.