Reviewing Pak-US ties

Washington needs to realise that nurturing mutual relations requires sensitive diplomacy

Pak US relations which have been marked by mutual suspicions even at the best of times nosedived in early 2011 as a result of a number of incidents and reached the nadir as a result of the May 2011 Abbottabad operation. Among other things the operation led to the suspension of the strategic dialogue which had been raised to the ministerial level in 2010. The dialogue was revived during Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Pakistan in August this year. An attempt was made by top leaders of the two countries to reset a fraught relation during Mian Nawaz Sharif’s meeting with President Obama two months later. The meeting had good results. In November US-Pakistan Energy Group and US-Pakistan Defence Consultative Group met in Washington. On Friday US Ambassador Richard Olson informed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar that $352 million would be reimbursed to Pakistan on February 6 under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF). Pakistan which faces liquidity crunch needs the fund badly. On Monday Secretary Kerry is hosting Sartaj Aziz for the first ministerial talks in three years.

While the moves indicate a positive trend, the relations between the two countries still remain tense and difficult. Drone attacks continue to be a permanent source of irritation. Washington and Islamabad do not see eye to eye on the issue of drone attacks. Nawaz Sharif still considers the attacks as the main cause of the failure of talks with the TTP. The two governments have altogether different perceptions regarding Dr Shakil Afridi. While Islamabad considers him a traitor who worked for the CIA, Afridi is a hero in the eyes of Washington. A bill to fund the US government which has now been signed into law by Obama requires Pakistan to release Afridi or forgo $33 million from the annual assistance it receives from the US. Pakistan Foreign Office has maintained that any linkage of US assistance to this case is not in keeping with the spirit of cooperation between the two countries. The way Shakil Afridi’s release is being demanded would be unacceptable to any self-respecting government and in fact it has caused resentment among many who support better relations with the US.

It is in the interest of both the US and Pakistan to continue a strong defence partnership and bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation even after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The terrorist threat in the region can be eradicated only through concerted efforts over a long period. Washington needs to realise that nurturing mutual relations requires sensitive diplomacy. One hopes the ministerial level moot will review the progress of the upgradation of ties and devise ways to overcome the problems that persist. The Economic Working Group of the two countries which is due to meet in April should further bring the two sides together.