While the idea behind the Pak-US talks on Friday was to devise new rules of game, the two sides failed to achieve little beyond a broad agreement to work together in the fight against terrorism. Both Clinton and Admiral Mullen had a tough schedule ahead. The latter held talks with Gen Kayani for nearly two hours. Clinton had a one-on-one discussion with Zardari before holding a joint meeting with the president, prime minister, COAS and DG ISI. The body language of participants from both sides indicated that the talks had been less than cordial. That there was no joint press conference at the end of the four hour talks showed there were few agreements.
Both sides had come with demands of their own. Besides a sense of grievous hurt caused by the May 2 operation conducted without Pakistan’s knowledge, there was the issue of drone attacks. Clinton was unhappy over the rise in anti-American sentiment in Pakistan. A protest against her arrival took place in Multan hours after she landed. Pakistan was demanding the withdrawal of most of the US military trainers while it had already closed down the intelligence fusion cells run by the US in Peshawar and Quetta. What emanated from Clinton’s briefing to the media was that the US wanted joint actions against the terrorists for which Islamabad was not ready. It was told that drone attacks could be stopped only if Islamabad initiated an operation in North Waziristan. Islamabad was further asked to assist in peace talks in Afghanistan and to ensure that no IEDs were allowed across the border. Islamabad was given a list of major terrorists and told bluntly that in case it failed to take them out the US would do the job itself. Further that lack of cooperation would result in secession of aid.
There is a need on the part of the US to realise that no elected government can go against the popular demand for an end to drone attacks. Meanwhile, Islamabad has to realise that putting an end to Al-Qaeda and TTP havens is badly needed to stop the terrorist attacks that continue to take place virtually every day, the latest on Friday in Swat leading to the death of an ANP leader. There has to be a give and take to continue the alliance without which the terrorists cannot be defeated.
