- US-Pak ties struck in a rigid groove
A high-level briefing on Tuesday by two senior US bureaucrats to Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington and officially released proceedings of 208th Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) held at GHQ on Wednesday, indicate that, amidst all the nice talk of cooperation and doors left ajar, the two sides have not budged an inch from their previous positions on Afghanistan, and an uneasy stalemate persists, with no knowing what direction future events will take. Indeed, the US officials went way beyond their usual allegations of ‘sanctuaries for militant proxies’ in Pakistan, by airing concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programmes, which they conveniently want aligned with American non-proliferation policies. While stressing Pakistan’s key role in an Afghan peace, they also acknowledged that cutting off US military assistance had failed to effect desired changes of policy.
Coming on top of the ‘financier’ stick and carrot deals of Trump administration, restoring suspended security aid provided Pakistan took ‘decisive and sustained’ action against Haqqani group, this ominous ‘axis of evil’ kind of treatment regarding nuclear and missile assets, will be a non-starter at any given level, whether it be civilian government, military or ordinary people. Pakistan’s genuine concerns, indeed alarm, at increasing Indian influence in Afghanistan were neatly sidestepped in Washington, despite proven Indian role in destabilizing Balochistan, hostility(shared by US) against CPEC and intensifying brinkmanship at Line of Control and Working Boundary, with over 200 violations in 2018 alone, martyring 12 people, including four troops.
Against this backdrop, the CCC made it clear that, though willing to cooperate with all stakeholders, Pakistan will never compromise on its vital national interests, give a befitting reply to any Indian misadventure on the LOC, while internally consolidating the gains of various anti-terrorism operations undertaken so far, which ultimately benefit the entire region. By Pentagon channels, Pakistan was assured that present unsettled relations were temporary, US would not take any unilateral action and that it only sought cooperation in its areas of concern, but the confused and desperate Trump presidency and baying enemies on all sides require extremely wary walking on Pakistan’s part
India’s role and influence in Afghan affairs is acceptable to US because US needs India more than Pakistan. First she asked India to contain North Korea ( alongwith China) which could not happen. Even then India remains the blue-eyed boy for US to pursue their agenda and policies in South Asia. What is happening in Maldive now is also part of the same agenda. US is constantly changing her strategy and policies about Afghanistan since last many months and blaming Pakistan for her utter failure in Afghanistan despite maintaining and prolonging occupation.
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