That ignores the elephant in the room
Those who formulate Pakistan’s foreign and security policies need to realize that they have landed the country in a cul-de-sac. There is a dire need on their part to come out of their world of fantasy. The FO (Foreign Office) spokesman says Pakistan is continuing behind the scenes diplomacy with the US and that “so far we have not failed.” If the purpose of this secret diplomacy is to normalize Pak-US relations, it has precisely failed to produce any tangible result. Even worse, what one sees are vibes of an opposite kind as the outcome of talks at Financial Action Task Force (FATF) forum shows.
The persistent demands from the US and its demonstrated ability to damage Pakistan’s economy as well as the attitude of China and Saudi Arabia should have provided a reality check for those who matter. Worsening of relations with the US has harmed Pakistan and not Washington but the FO spokesman maintains that the onus of repairing ties lay with Washington. It is also being pointed out that the decision to put Pakistan on the grey list was due to political reasons. Saudi Arabia might have declined to vote in favour of Pakistan on account of its dependence on the US but what about our all weather ally China who too did not support Pakistan. Neither China nor Russia voted under US pressure. Both continue to suffer badly on account of the terrorists and are fed up with the terrorist entities in Pakistan. China first showed its annoyance in the BRICS summit declaration, then at the FATF forum. It is time FO and its mentors took note of the elephant in the room.
The only way out for Pakistan is to take meaningful action against the networks and individuals who have for years operated freely within the country despite UN Security Council listing them in the category of the supporters of Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban. One can only hope that there are more clearheaded people among policy makers than Miftah Ismail who says there would be no significant effect on the economy if the country is placed on FATF’s grey list. The listing could be the first step towards more disagreeable measures.