Tough truth to swallow
During his four-hour stopover in Pakistan on his way to India for a three-day visit US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson echoed US President Donald Trump’s message delivered during his policy speech on Afghanistan calling on Pakistan to stop supporting ‘agents of chaos’, i.e. the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network.
On the flip side of this tough talk was acknowledgement that “Pakistan has an incredibly important role in that South Asia strategy” and “the security, the stability of the country is very important to us”. This was necessary as Trump’s original speech had not gone down well with both the civilian and military leadership in Pakistan.
In India Tillerson was much more candid expressing how concerned the US was about the “stability and security” in Pakistan – a statement that he made specifically to satisfy his Indian hosts who for years have questioned the country’s ability to remain secure while allegedly providing safe havens to terrorists.
Talking to the press there he said that the U.S. had called for a special mechanism with Pakistan to share “not just information but take action” against terror groups. This requires more clarity because the operative word here is mechanism which usually entails a pre-defined procedure.
In reply to America’s ‘do-more’ mantra Pakistan openly and correctly expressed its legitimate grievances concerning lack of reciprocal action by Afghanistan in controlling its side of the border and India’s increasingly negative role in the region.
Pakistan has achieved much during its war on militancy a lot still needs to be done. Any terrorist elements that do find refuge in Pakistan have to be eliminated. The Brics’ resolution comparing groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed to ISIS should be a wakeup call.
The next and more difficult fight however is the one against extremism and unfortunately not much has been done on that front. At time of writing a 600-people strong procession of the Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah and Sunni Tehreek is at the capital’s gate – two outfits that were specifically created in support of a convicted and executed murderer.
The Secretary Foreign Affairs of US, a self proclaimed super power, does not go with facts on ground. This so-called superpower couldn’t defeat a rag tag group of people called Taliban!! Shame on all the mighty force of immigrants.
This war isn’t over yet…
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