For all the hue and cry Pakistan has been making over India fanning its influence in Afghanistan, one fact that has conveniently been glossed over is that Islamabad has opened three consulates here, with Mazar-e-Sharif being the latest addition. The Mazar-e-Sharif consulate, headed by Mohammed Ziad Khan, is said to have become operational on Wednesday. The professed objectives is to forward its humanitarian assistance programme as medical aid and opening schools apart from easing matters for Afghans in seeking Pakistani visas. Islamabad already has consulates at Kandahar and Jalalabad. While India too has consulates at these places, it has another at Herat. But officials say that Islamabad has no reason to complain as Pakistan continues to benefit from trade with Afghanistan. Meanwhile, India has been moving ahead with its developmental, welfare and training projects. Over the last year, Indian assistance has been praised from various quarters and as the Mayor of Kabul Anwar Jekd Alek put it: ‘‘There are representatives from many countries here, but the three ambassadors I recognise are the German, Japanese and Indian envoys.’’ With US and NATO countries taking on the mantle of security, New Delhi seems to have marked out its focus areas and the results are encouraging as India establishes a ‘‘benign presence’’ here. For instance, Tata buses are now a household name, a term which Kabul residents now use as a substitute for public transport. Of the $100 million that India pledged to Afghanistan, over $60 million has been operationalised. Apart from its several ongoing projects, India is now considering to help build a 45 MW hydel power project at Salma on the river Hari Rud in Western Afghanistan.
