Need to clear the air through meaningful dialogue
Since the Trump administration has taken over there has been little insight into its policy towards Pakistan. During the latter part of the Obama administration aid to Pakistan had been reeled back and by the end of his presidency it had reduced by almost 73 percent.
Keeping in line with this policy the Pentagon withheld a tranche of $ 50 million in the form of the CSF (Coalition Support Fund) citing their usual mantra of accusing Pakistan of not doing enough to counter the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called up our Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif to offer felicitations on our 70th Independence Day expressed his desire to work with him to achieve common objectives and accepted an invitation to visit Pakistan.
Whether this is a softening of America’s current stance on Pakistan is up for debate considering only days later Tillerson warned of the increasing contraction of religious freedom in Pakistan an observation also made about Saudi Arabia and Iran in the same report.
However there was progress in military-to-military relations with a three day visit (ending yesterday) by Lieutenant General Michael Garrett, Commanding General of United States Army Central Command who met the Pakistan Army’s top brass.
Garrett is quite a busy man so fitting in Pakistan to that schedule suggests that the US still very much relies on our strategic military support. But there is still no clarity on this new administration’s Afghan policy.
Although the US cannot completely abort Pakistan as a necessary ally in the Afghan war it certainly is playing hard to get by refusing promised aid for our efforts.
Pakistan is well aware of its importance to the US but should not push its luck especially with an erratic unpredictable US president at the helm. Both sides need to realise that bringing the Afghan war to its logical end can only be achieved by working together.
In order to achieve this, a meaningful dialogue has to begin to clear the air, reduce the trust deficit and remove misconceptions.
As it has been mentioned about Secretary of felicitations on 70th anniversary , it is being forgot that USA proscribed Hizbul Mujahdeen on 15th August , thereby supporting its hyphenated policy that may aggravate Pakistan grievances. Nevertheless dialogue is the only mean to be considered ; Pakistan has to increase its lobbying activities in USA. Otherwise, Pakistan will face more backslashes from international players
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