Flexibility needed on both sides
As Imran Khan railed against restoring the Nato supply line and Gen Allen parried questions regarding ties between the ISI-Haqqani network, Gilani and Obama moved towards rescuing the Pak-US alliance. The meeting in Seoul was the first top level contact after the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in May last. The mere fact that Gilani and Obama decided to meet, albeit on the sidelines of an international moot, is a significant event.
The meeting allowed the two sides to gauge what each was willing to concede to the other to restore mutual relations. Gilani would now be in a better position to move towards building a consensus in parliament over the parameters of relations with Washington. The meeting indicates that despite sharp differences between the two erstwhile strategic allies, both are aware of the need to work through the issues. There was a reaffirmation after the talks of the mutuality of interests. Foremost among these is the need to have stability in Afghanistan and the region. The US has fought the longest war in its history without being able to set up a stable government in Afghanistan capable of establishing its writ in the country. If the extremist forces with an international agenda manage to stage a comeback after the return of the ISAF troops, they would constitute a threat to the entire world. Their return to Kabul would cause instability in Pakistan and threaten its security. The recognition has made Gilani to reiterate his commitment to continue the fight against extremism while it has led Obama to confirm that the US wants to work with Pakistan.
Good wishes alone are not enough. The two countries need to undertake the tricky balancing act that reconciles Pakistan’s sovereignty and the imperatives of US national security. This looks like a Houdini feat that can only be performed successfully if both sides display flexibility. Appeasement of the extremist forces on the one hand and manifestation of hubris on the other can lead to the perpetuation of misunderstandings that will harm the vital interests of the two countries.
