We have witnessed the head joining phenomenon during the Pak-US strategic talks between Ms Clinton and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi that unfortunately did not achieve desired results. This was followed by the secretary level talks between the Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries Nirupama Rao and Salman Bashir, during which they felt the same magnetic pull that resulted, as usual, in nothing significant in the interest of the country.
Now the current joining of the (literal and metaphorical) heads of Pakistan and Afghanistan, that is, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Hamid Karzai need to be analysed in this backdrop. Apparently, this association is being translated as a significant step in the endgame in Afghanistan. It is certainly hoped that this time round the results are different from all previous endeavours.
PROF KABIL KHAN
Peshawar