Pakistan needs a policy change pronto
Pakistan has painted itself into a corner for too long. It has to come in from the cold now. The policy towards terrorism requires a radical change to preserve whatever is left and to improve the image of the country. That the world has developed a zero tolerance for terrorism should be clear from the way the Saudi authorities arrested Zabiuddin alias Abu Jundal and extradited him to India. The knee jerk reaction to reject any information regarding terrorist activities coming from New Delhi as anti-Pakistan propaganda has to be avoided. Rehman Malik needs to look at whatever evidence is sent after the completion of Zabiuddin’s interrogation. Maybe it can help in reaching the masterminds of the Mumbai terrorist attack. A persistent state of denial would lead to the perception that the government is hesitant to identify them. On India’s part, Home Minister Chidambram should keep his impatience under control and let the interrogation be competed and collated with other relevant data before claiming that some state actors from Pakistan were behind the Mumbai attacks.
Pakistan should seize on any opportunity that brings it back into the loop vis-à-vis talks on Afghanistan. Kabul’s new envoy for peace Salahudin Rabbani has urged Islamabad to help revitalise talks with the Taliban. He has conceded that Pakistan alone has the clout to help kickstart the peace move. There is a need to hold in-depth talks with the new chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council when he comes to Islamabad. Pakistan has to work devotedly and sincerely for the restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan as its own peace and security, and to a considerable extent the future of its economy, depend on it. Karzai should meanwhile rein in those in Kabul who are bent upon marring relations between the neighbours through irresponsible statements.
Unless Pakistan and US jointly find a way out of the present state of confrontation, both will be losers in human and material terms. An apology from Washington has to be worked out to allay sentiments in Pakistan. This should be followed by opening of the Nato routes. The two countries also need to join hands to bring the menace of extremism and militancy under control. Pakistan needs Washington’s help to eliminate the TTP elements operating from Afghanistan. Washington requires Pakistan’s support to get rid of the Haqqani network. Both goals can be achieved through cooperation between the US and Pakistan.