Strained Pakistan-US Ties: All Is Not Lost – OpEd

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Pakistan has always desired and wanted sustainable peace, stability and prosperity in the region. For that reason it has stayed pragmatic about the peace talks and chiefly the Afghan peace process — for peace in Pakistan is bound to the peace and stability in Afghanistan. In any case, amid this consistent struggle Pakistan was always denied in its efforts by the US; left alone and had been under constant diplomatic and military pressure.

Now, the very question that arises here is that what is the central objective of the US in its association with Pakistan? Secretly, and openly, the mantra remains precisely the same, ‘do more’. For instance, the objective for Trump like Obama’s initial Afghanistan surge is to force the Taliban into peace talks and to push them for a negotiated settlement. Moreover, very much like his predecessors, Trump also doesn’t want to be ensnared into a money pit for more nation building thence seeking greater Indian role in the region and chiefly in Afghanistan.

Be that as it mayPakistan may not coordinate with the US to the extent the latter demands. Leaving aside the fact that whether some of these demands really qualify Pakistan’s greater interests or not, Pakistan has reliably exhibited that it wants stable ties with the US. To carelessly risk two-sided collaboration by constantly repeating the ‘do more’ mantra or debilitating to give India a greater role in Afghanistan, is to disregard that the US needs Pakistan to help set up peace in the region in the long haul.

Thus, there is a dire need for the US to recognize Pakistan’s efforts in the War against Terrorism. The US must also stop scapegoating Pakistan for its own failures if and merely if it wants a stable Afghanistan in particular and the South Asian region in general. Pakistan stood firm with the world in the Global War on Terror (GWOT), and if today Pakistan faces the menace of terrorism, it’s only due to the fact that Pakistan sided with the world. US must also acknowledge the sacrifices Pakistan made; for Pakistan has lost more than 60,000 precious lives so far post 9/11.

US allegations on Pakistan for providing ‘safe havens’ to the ‘agents of chaos’ is utterly baseless, for if Pakistan were to support the Jihadists, it should not have been a victim itself. Similarly, things would have been much more different, if the Taliban were made to contest the first elections back in 2004. Pakistan thus has proved itself morally correct ever since the USSR invasion to the events leading 9/11. Notwithstanding, it must also be kept in mind by the US officials and the State Department that, any US action demonstrating selective treatment will result in the introduction of more radicalization and contribute to further destabilization of the region. Moreover, in a broader spectrum the same New Afghan policy by the Trump should be made the hall mark in countering terrorism collectively, but unfortunately the region is yet devoid of mutual trust.

Pakistan, however, is prepared to work with the United States to adequately deal with the long porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, for it really needs to be strategically aligned for any policy to bring some fruit. Moreover, the whole conflict is required to be re-orientated thus seeking enduring closure to the conflict as it is now quite evident that the existing strategies are really not working in this regard. Similarly, the US needs to understand that in any event where India is all the more effectively included, its hold will increment in Afghanistan, making a more noteworthy risk for Pakistan. How at that point will Pakistan be able to collaborate with the US in this protracted war?

Thus, to conclude in the words of US Defense Secretary James Mattis, both Pakistan and the US need to find the common grounds to fight this war together. However, Trump administration needs to comprehend that building pressure on Pakistan won’t prompt a quick resolution to the conflict but will further exacerbate the situation.

*Ubaid Ahmed, working as Research Affiliate with Strategic Vision Institute and can be reached at [email protected].

2 thoughts on “Strained Pakistan-US Ties: All Is Not Lost – OpEd

  • January 5, 2018 at 2:43 pm
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    Pakistan is a key regional ally of China and also improving its relations with Russia. Perhaps, Islamabad’s strategic partnership with Beijing and strategic understanding with Moscow, especially on Afghanistan crisis is not acceptable to Washington. To conclude, President Trump’s frustration constituents are numerous. His domestic initiatives lack dividends. His foreign and strategic policy rating is disgraceful.

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  • January 8, 2018 at 7:38 am
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    For almost two decades Pakistan has been immersed in the never ending war on terror. Having lost thousands of its civilians and soldiers fighting this menace, gallantly, Pakistan continue to bear the direct repercussions of this ill-fated war.Yet western countries conveniently turn a blind eye towards the losses and instead blame Pakistan for being involved with the terrorists.The whole mantra infact makes the relations between the two states strained and fragile. Rather Pakistan is constantly asked to do more in the context of WOT. Here is a question what US has achieved till now in the war against Afghanistan and has it succeeded in this war or maintaining its status in the Afghanistan.

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