This is with reference to the mounting American pressures on Pakistan to open its supply routes to Afghanistan. The US’ eagerness to get NATO supplies re-opened is evident from the pressure tactics Obama administration is applying on Pakistan in the form of serious allegations of harboring terrorists, economic sanction, cut in aids etc.
Whereas the NATO supply routes would have restored by now, had Pakistan’s demand of an official apology from US for an air raid that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers is meet. As a matter of fact the US apology is something which should have been forthcoming the day this incident happened, and what a partnership not only demands, but requires. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton habitual accusations on Pakistan of harboring terrorists like Ayman al Zawahiri are a tactic to put pressure on Pakistan at one hand and please State office back in Washington. Browbeating about eth presence of Ayman al Zawahiri and Mullah Omer in Pakistan are merely pressure tactics to hide own failures and pursue their nefarious agenda in the region. If US intelligence agency has any credible information regarding their presence inside Pakistan, they should share it with Pakistan so that concrete action against such high-value terrorists may be taken.
The US Propaganda campaigns and unnecessary blame-game is not acceptable anymore by Islamabad. Already Pakistan has suffered in terms of economy, unprecedented loss of life, damage to property and communication infrastructure during its fight against war on terror. Now is the time for US to show same greater cooperation which it often demands from Islamabad if it wishes resumption of NATO supplies. Need of the hour is that United States should respect Pakistan’s genuine demands and resolutions adopted by its parliament. For relations based on coercive diplomacy and imposing policies are always delicate and short lived and end of ties is something which at this critical moment neither Islamabad nor Washington can afford.
SHAMSA ASHFAQ
Islamabad
