With the unfolding of the endgame in Afghanistan, Pakistan needs to ensure that its interests are safeguarded. Fortunately there seems to be a reduction in tensions between the US and Pakistan that continued to escalate with one incident after another for most of the year. Diplomatic efforts on both sides have led to softening of attitudes with Secretary Clinton agreeing to probe the possibility of talks with the Haqqani network and the ISI indicating willingness to restore limited cooperation with the CIA.
It is in the common interest of both the US and Pakistan to rid the region of extremist militancy. The Al-Qaeda has now spread its tentacles to other area of the world and would continue to threaten the vital interests of the US and the West if it is not uprooted. For this the task initiated by Washington in Afghanistan has to be finished irrespective of how long its takes. Similarly Pakistan has to fight and destroy the terrorist networks which continue to pose it an existential challenge. Unless the cancer of militancy is removed, there is little hope of foreign investments coming to the country. Keeping in view the terrorist networks’ interconnections and resilience, only a concerted and united effort by the US and Pakistan can put an end to the menace. For this, the US needs to abstain from superpower bluster. Pakistan too has to realise that there is no other option than to work together with Washington.
A number of countries in Asia are concerned about Afghanistan after the departure of the US led troops. US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman has arrived in Islamabad after a fortnight long travel to countries in South and Central Asia, China, and the Gulf. Turkey is hosting on November 2 a conference for Afghanistan to be followed by the December 5 Bonn conference. It would be more profitable if Grossman does not insist on the single point agenda of operation in North Waziristan but will be open to discussion on other options also. Hopefully the talks would end at a positive note, among other things bringing an end to the ongoing not-too-covert US war in Pakistan through drone attacks.
