Pak-US ties on fresh terms

Pakistan-US relations are uneasy but each side wants resumption of normality in their bilateral relationship. This crisis like situation which exits today is mainly due to unjustified NATO-USA actions across the Pakistani border. These actions are USA’s attack on Abbot Abad (May 2nd), NATO’s attack on Salala check post and evidently the tensions also exist over drone attacks and non release of funds. Pakistan in the aftermath of NATO’s Nov.26 attack cut the NATO supply line into Afghanistan. This has proven a strategic thump by Pakistan. USA after this strong Pakistani reaction has no practical choice other than to depend on Russian domain, Northern Distribution Network (NDN) to continue its logistic supply into Afghanistan.

This NDN route has never been the first choice for USA but in contemporary state of affairs it has to adopt it. Russia is not oblivious to USA’s weak position without Pakistani cooperation and it decided to exert its geo-political weight over USA to achieve certain objectives. It has received assorted benefits over it and still exploiting USA’s weaknesses in this regard. Russia, is demanding “do more” from USA as it demanded to integrate Russia for USA‘s Ballistic Missile Defence initiative in Central Europe or abandon it and to recognize Russia a member state at the forum of World Trade Organization.

These Russian demands are contradictory with USA’s long term future objectives in Central Europe and in other regions as well, but at the moment it can’t close the eyes towards its own and allied military personnel present in Afghanistan, their collective strength is over than 130,000. USA neither wants to politically drop especially Central Europe, nor it wants to put its forces in danger inside Afghanistan. If it shows any reluctance to cooperate with Russia then a threat exacerbates that Russia can deny access into Afghanistan through NDN. This situation will be disastrous for USA’s objectives in Afghanistan and it would not be able to prolong its presence over this landlocked state. This is the reason that USA wants Pakistan once again back into its camp and resumption of their bilateral strategic cooperation for the successful execution of its face saving exit from Afghanistan. Leon Panetta admitted that “we can’t win the war in Afghanistan without being able to win in our relationship with Pakistan as well”.

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Pakistan never opted to strengthen terrorism, even if it exists in any form; it always has readiness to eliminate this curse. Pakistani nation has sacrificed more than any nation for this noble cause and has determination that either these terrorist will stay here or us. Now, its USA’s turn to “do more” for the betterment of this nation and it has to show its respect in the honor of Pakistani nation’s great sacrifices for peace and security of the world. For the sake of this purpose there is a need for a” Marshall Plan” like recovery program by USA to strengthen the Pakistani economy and for speedy socio-economic development of Pakistan. This time all the funds should be delivered only to Government of Pakistan or to its designated organization rather than the secret provision of funds to secret NGOs.


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