Like Afghan cricketers, Afghanistan should not have to choose between India and Pakistan; instead, it should have cordial and constructive relations with both. Given Pakistan’s proximity to Afghanistan, Pak-Afghan relations can be expected to be more cordial than Indo-Afghan relations. But neither India nor Pakistan should entertain hopes to use Afghanistan against each other. Instead, Afghanistan should be a platform for constructive cooperation between India and Pakistan. The sooner India and Pakistan realize this the better for everyone in the region.  

Arwin Rahi is a former adviser to the Parwan governor in Afghanistan. He can be reached at [email protected].