NOVANEWS
By Sajjad Shaukat
During his first visit to the United States, Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff, Gen. Raheel Sharif
held talks with the top US generals and officials. Gen. Raheel Sharif who was warmly welcomed
in the US was also conferred with the US Legion of Merit Medal in recognition of his brave
leadership and efforts to ensure peace in the region.
Analysts are taking the successful trip of Gen. Raheel as a sign of improved relations between
the two countries. Sources suggest that during talks with US high military officials, Pakistan’s
army chief straightforwardly pointed out interrelated regional problems including Pakistan’s
sacrifices during war against terrorism, successes of the military operation, Zarb-i-Azb,
Afghanistan factor, US blame game, Indian anti-Pakistan campaign and so on in order to remove
obstacles in Pak-US relations.
In this regard, a report published by BBC Urdu said, “Gen. Raheel Sharif told the US top
military officials that Pakistan’s operation against terrorists was affected by Indian troops’
continuous violation of ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary
(WB)…and statements issued by their leaders…Pakistan has deployed 140,000 troops on its
Western borders after getting assurance that there would be peace with India on its Eastern
borders which did not happen.”
However, one of the main obstacles in Pak-US relations is that America has been following
ambivalent policy towards Pakistan. It could be judged from a number of contradictory
statements of Washington. While meeting Gen. Raheel, US top military officials praised
operation, Zarb-i-Azb. But, a recent report of the US Department of Defence has revived old
blame game against Pakistan, and allegedly said, “Afghan-and Indian-focused militants continue
to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of Afghan and regional stability. Pakistan uses
these proxy forces to hedge against Afghanistan and India…Taliban attacks are launched from
sanctuaries in Pakistan’s tribal areas and Baluchistan.” The report ignored the fact that the
Pakistani government has launched operation Zarb-i-Azb’ against militants in tribal North
Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan, and it also includes Haqqani militants about whom
America was accusing Pak Army and country’s spy agency ISI for alleged support regarding
cross-border terrorism in Afghanistan. Now, the operation has been broadly welcomed
internationally as well as in Washington which has also been a long-running demand from US
and its allied forces in Afghanistan.
In the recent past, following the US blame game, Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai
openly accused Islamabad of sponsoring a series of terrorist attacks in Kabul, while from time to
time, India has also raised similar allegations.
In fact, another obstacle in Pak-US relations is that Afghanistan is responsible for terrorists’
penetration into Pakistan. Since April, 2011, some 200 to 400 heavily-armed militants from
Afghanistan’s side entered Pakistan’s region, from time to time, and targeted the security check
posts, civil and military infrastructure of the tribal areas. So far, these terrorists have killed
several personnel of Pakistan’s security forces. Besides, Pakistan also indicated that Pakistani
Taliban insurgency and leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Maulvi Fazlullah who are
involved in a number of terror attacks in Pakistan and on the security forces are based in Kunar
and Nuristan provinces in Afghanistan. But, the US-led forces in Afghanistan failed to hunt
It is mentionable that Indian RAW has well-established its network in Afghanistan, and with the
tactical assistance of anti-Pakistan secret agencies, it is fully backing cross-border incursions
including terror-activities in Balochistan and other regions of Pakistan.
However, for improving ties with Pakistan, US must abandon its double standard, as it prefers
India at the cost of Pakistan which has a key to stability in the region. In this respect, a recently
released video by Washington Free Beacon pointed out that the US new Secretary of Defence
Chuck Hagel disclosed during a speech at Oklahoma’s Cameron University in 2011, “India has
always used Afghanistan as a second front” and “has over the years financed problems for
Pakistan on that side of the border.” Earlier, the then NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen.
McChrystal had revealed: “Indian political and economic influence is increasing in
Afghanistan…is likely to exacerbate regional tensions.”
Nevertheless, taking note of Indian negative approach, in the recent past, US Senator John
McCain reminded the Obama administration that encouraging India to take a more active role in
Afghanistan, while simultaneously criticizing Pakistan could be a recipe for disaster. In fact,
India wants instability in Afghanistan, which favors its secret goals against Pakistan. But,
Pakistan seeks stability in Afghanistan, which is not possible owing to Indian presence in that
country. Therefore, Pakistan has legitimate concerns in Afghanistan.
Notably, in the recent years, a series of international conferences were held in order to bring
stability and peace in Afghanistan. For this purpose, US-led developed nations also pledged
billions of dollars for the development of Afghanistan. Besides, American top officials have
repeatedly agreed that without the help of Islamabad, stability cannot be achieved in
If we take note of the US strategy about Pakistan in the last few years, we observe that
sometimes, US top officials admire Pak Army’s action against the Taliban militants including
arrests of the top Al Qaeda commanders by the ISI, sometimes, they revive their blame game
against ISI including its links with the Haqqani network, sometimes they accuse that Al Qaeda
Shura has been operating from Pakistan, sometimes, they misconceive that Pak nukes are not
safe, sometimes, they show their determination to maintain ties with Pakistan and sometimes
they threaten to stop aid of Islamabad, while sometimes to carry on the same.
Pakistan which had been granted the status of Non-NATO ally by America has now become a
target of malicious propaganda. Besides the collective connivance of their secret agencies, the
media of the US, India and some western countries leave no stone unturned in distorting the
image of Pakistan, its army and ISI by continuing old allegations in wake of new developments.
During his trip to India and Kabul, Panetta encouraged New Delhi on October 26, 2012, saying
that India had vital role to play in Afghanistan and it would be helpful for peace and stability in
the region, adding, “Our new defence policy hinges upon this strategy.” The US-led NATO has
decided to keep around 24,000 troops in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces in
December 2014. In fact, America seeks to obtain multiple strategic designs by controlling the
energy resources of Central Asia, and weakening Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia.
Nonetheless, by showing realistic approach, America should realize that unlike India, Pakistan
shares common geographical, historical, religious and cultural bonds with Afghanistan, while
stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan is interrelated, which is essential for American global and
regional interests. Therefore, in order to remove obstacles in Pak-US ties, America must abandon
its blame game and twofold diplomacy strategy in the region as well as against Pakistan.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
