Failure after failure
While details of the talks between Hina Rabbani Khar and Hillary Clinton are yet not available, the issue of the Haqqani network was reportedly high on the agenda. With neither side willing to soften its stand on the issue, the rough patch between their relations continues, badly affecting the capability of the two countries to deal with the militants. A friendly government in Afghanistan, it is maintained, is a vital need for Pakistan after the departure of the Nato troops and for this, the Haqqani network needs to be protected. It is easily forgotten that like several other militants groups patronised by the ISI during the anti-Soviet jihad, Haqqanis too might turn their back on Pakistan once they are in power. A more practical consideration however is the timing of the operation. An operation at this juncture in North Waziristan could force the Haqqani group to join hands with the TTP, thus increasing manifold the threat posed by the terrorists inside Pakistan.
What should be worrisome for both Washington and Islamabad is that the mechanisms created for collaboration between them are gradually losing their relevance on account of the dispute. Mike Mullen’s visit to Islamabad in April failed to remove mutual suspicions. Gen Pasha’s visit the same month to Washington also did not reduce tensions. The tripartite talks in Islamabad in August also failed to break the ice. The bilateral strategic dialogue ended without any positive result. The Pak-US energy dialogue also turned out to be a non-event. The recent talks between Mullen and Kayani and between Clinton and Hina Khar have led to nowhere.
Another factor that could further lead to the deterioration of ties is the unending blame game. Ambassador Munter who is otherwise keen to improve ties between the two countries has claimed that there is evidence linking the Haqqani network to the Pakistan government. Similarly, Joe Biden has talked about Pakistan not being reliable. There is a need to avoid taking the differences to a point where they cease to remain within manageable limits.
