DUSHANBE, September 21, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Tajik political scientist Parviz Mullojonov considers that Burhanuddin Rabbani’s assassination is continuation of an old policy aimed at liquidating leaders of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance and weakening the Northern Alliance, made of mostly non-Pashtun ethnic groups.

“After Ahmad Shah Masoud, who was also assassinated by Taliban, Rabbani was the second influential figure in the Northern Alliance and he could play an important role in consolidation of Afghan society,” Mullojonov noted.

The expert found difficulty in naming leader who could replace Rabbani and unite all groups of the anti-Taliban coalition.

According to him, Rabbani’s death is profitable to, first of all, irreconcilable Taliban and Pakistan, which is behind them.  “Pakistan’s intelligence agency, which created Taliban, to be exact,” said the expert, “Thereby, they are making preparations for an new phase of struggle for power in Afghanistan that will inevitably run high after complete or partial withdrawal of the U.S. troops and NATO forces from the country.”

Mullojonov considers that peace talks are at a temporary deadlock, because there are many forces interested in continuation of the peace process.  They are, first of all, NATO and Karzai’s government.  “Therefore, the peace process will be continued,” noted the political scientist.  “But the question is that in what the peace process will result, because Rabbani was the person who was highly influential and had great political experience.”