Pak-US Relationships:
Shifting Paradigm
With the
caretaker setup being installed, there is an urgent need to revisit Pakistan-US
relationships. Analysis of the prevailing situation has becomes all the more
important as critics seem to be divided into two distinct but opposite groups,
one saying United States need Pakistan's support and second trying to prove
that Pakistan needs US support to overcome internal and external threats facing
the country.
However,
both the groups strongly believe that musty relationship could prove
detrimental for both the countries. After the commencement of withdrawal of US-led
Nato troops and other hardware from Afghanistan, there is need for safe passage
and speedy and cost effective movement.
No one can
deny the fact that Pakistan offers the most cost effective route. Therefore, it
is suggested that United States must avoid any encounter with the groups that
consider it 'Occupier of Afghanistan'. However, the main concern remains fusty
relationship between the US and Karzai administrations.
In such a
prevailing scenario there are growing fears that some of the Afghan warlords
may intensify their attacks on Nato troops and even on Afghan forces. One of
the positive points is that both the US and Pakistan governments are trying to
improve relationship by removing the irritants.
However,
commencement of work on Pakistani portion of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline
has been taken by the US administration an act that makes Pakistan liable for
imposition of economic sanctions. Most of the experts are of the consensus that
since Pakistan needs to overcome its energy crisis US administration must not
oppose this project.
The pipeline
offers a reliable and cost effective solution for Pakistan’s looming energy
crisis that is adversely affecting its economy and GDP growth rate. Experts are
also of the consensus that an economically strong Pakistan can help in
maintaining peace and also ushering economic activities in Afghanistan after
the withdrawal of Nato forces.
Any adverse
decision can intensify anti-US sentiments and imposition of economic sanctions on
Pakistan could lead to poor law and order situation that may delay general
elections in the country. Any unrest in Pakistan can also cause disruption in the
movement of Nato troops and hardware through Pakistan.
Over the
years Pakistan has been able to weed out militants and contain their movement
across the border and any lapse could prove fatal for the three stakeholders:
Nato, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Unfortunately,
support of the rebel groups in Arabian Peninsula, North Africa and Syria has
proved beyond any doubt that United States has been supplying funds and arms to
the groups. Now it is also being said in Pakistan that United States is
supporting those militant groups that are busy is creating ethnic divide and
sectarian killing.
In fact
there is complete consensus that those undertaking sabotage activities and
killing people are funded by the external elements and often fingers are
pointed at United States, India and Israel.
Some of the
quarters have been demanding that United States should provide extra funds to
Pakistan for purchasing arsenal to secure its common borders with Afghanistan
and India.
As against
this, there is a growing realization that improving relationship among
Pakistan, Afghanistan and India is more important than accumulating arms.
Living constantly under state of war and spending billions of dollars has
yielded no result. The time has come to develop better understandings among
these countries to ensure more spending on the welfare of people.
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