The rift between the US and Pakistan continues to widen which is bad for both the countries. Worsening of ties between the two countries would weaken the alliance against the terrorists which is not in their interest. There is a need on both sides to take concrete measures to defuse the situation. They must act to remove the suspicions that mar the relations between their principle intelligence agencies. The ISI has to take serious note of the complaint regarding the leakage of intelligence presumably provided to it by the CIA last month. The CIA on the other hand has to remove the perception that its operatives are spying over Pakistan’s nuclear programme and developing independent links with militant groups inside the country. The recruitment of a Pakistani Major who supposedly helped keep watch over OBL in Abbottabad is highly disconcerting.
Meanwhile extremist fringes in both countries are doing their best to further impair their ties. The US baiters in Pakistan accuse the ruling coalition as well as the mainstream opposition of being Washington’s stooges. They demand a thorough overhaul of the country’s foreign policy leading to an end to counterterrorism cooperation. On Tuesday, JUI(F) leader Akram Khan Durrani demanded the ceasing of operations in the tribal areas and holding talks with the Pakistani Taliban. Similar elements are active in the US also. In April this year, Wall Street Journal declared Pakistan untrustworthy and recommended the issuance of an ultimatum to it like the one given in the wake of 9/11. Now a bill endorsed by the House Appropriations Committee would withhold 75 per cent of the $1.1 billion in US aid to Pakistan until the administration reports to Congress on how it would spend the money. This would provide more grist to the anti-US mills operating in Pakistan
Pakistan has to genuinely try to resolve its differences with the US. It must however be prepared to face a situation where it has to live without foreign aid. In case, the government is able to expand the tax net to its farthest limit, the revenue thus generated would be many times more than the annual aid the country is currently receiving.
