ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Wednesday that relations with estranged ally Washington were getting back on track and called for joint regional peace efforts after Afghanistan and India signed a strategic pact.
The tense partnership between Pakistan and the United States in the "war on terror" took a battering last month, with Washington demanding that Islamabad take action against the Haqqani network and cut alleged ties to the group.
Pakistan's relations with neighbouring Afghanistan have also soured over what Kabul says is Islamabad's links to militants.
But Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was upbeat.
"Relations between Pakistan and United States often experience ups and downs but these relations are now coming back towards right direction," he told reporters in the capital Islamabad.
Asked about Pakistan's feelings on the burgeoning India-Afghanistan alliance, Gilani said: "Both are sovereign countries and they have the right to do whatever they want to.
"We all are in the same region and we want to work together for peace and prosperity in the region and I think we should work together."
Karzai, who is currently on a visit to India, has tried to reassure "brother" Pakistan about the alliance with its historic foe.
Indian involvement in Afghanistan is extremely sensitive because of the delicate and often deadly power games in South Asia, with Pakistan vehemently opposed to its arch enemy meddling in what it considers its backyard.
Pakistan has seen ties with regional and international allies go through a roller coaster ride with Karzai blaming the Pakistani intelligence agency, the ISI for being the hidden hand behind the assassination of former Afghan president and peace council chairman Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani. This followed after intense pressure from the US over what they said was another ISI supported attack by the elusive Haqqani network on the US embassy in Kabul.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and India saw a week of warm ties with a breakthrough in business-to-business ties after a delegation of businessmen concluded a successful tour of India.
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Our history is full of like Punjabi film's hero. Always making BARAK "Ooye meray nal panga na panween" But in actual some thing else. Brother tell me is USA not helping Taiwan against china, did he not bombed with atom bomb Japan, did he not tarnished Vietnam. But how those nations retaliated to american threat. Certainly not by BARAK type politics. Here I am not supporting american stance, rather I am trying to say that we pakistan's have to learn lot from world. Be soft spoken but make your economy strong.
Well said R.K.
This character has lost it. He thinks by saying all the time that USa is ok with them, someone will actually believe!!!! Just today Obama again thrashed pak and said their spy agency has connections with unsavoury characters( read terrorist)!!!! And why is this gilani want USa to be pakis friend??? DO you see India or any other country begging some other nation for friendship???
@ Mirza
Why don't your practice what you preach first. What initiative has India taken in lats 65 years to have good relations with her neighbours - ZERO, ZILCH, NIKS!!
Indians and hypocrites are synonymous to each other
@Pundit: very good
"Pak-US ties thawing: Gilani"
Thawing is taking place due to the Loadshedding !
I completely agree with you but as a nation we are in a state of denial. Our hate for Zardari has exceeded our love for Pakistan. Our media's race to win audience has sold depression and hopelessness.
Now, today PAK political establishment has matured in thinking. Hope it stays the course.
this is excellent response to Karzai. although our concerns maybe India actually the spoilers in the region are the ISAF / NATO once they are out does anyone seriously think that the afghani's will be able to hold the country together with a fractured society, ie pashtuns and the Hazara's or perhaps the northern alliance and the rest of Afghanistan. once the west leaves Afghanistan then we will see if Afghanistan can truly stay intact.. Pakistan needs a stable Afghanistan in order that we can stabilise Pakistan. its the wars in Afghanistan that have radicalised our youth, through the mosques and i would say the idiot mullahs who have used religious ignorance and bigotry against our own country.. Pakistan needs to start planning for the future.. begin to start charging the west for the transit of goods into Afghanistan urgently with that money Pakistan can begin the rebuilding of the country that it desperately needs.. start somewhere small just like the nuclear programme... too much to say...
Soothing words from Pakistani PM. Let us hope he gets support from ISI and army also on his views. Things won't change on ground unless ISI and army let the elected government function independently.
What happened to the China card, Mr. Gilani?
"“We all are in the same region and we want to work together for peace and prosperity in the region and I think we should work together.”"
Sir, I hope you did ask the establishment before making such public comments. The people who really matters and calls the shot in all major decisions does not agree to your views.
@Babloo: I think you have to commend Gilano for stabilizing the political situation. I am no supporter of the PPP but I believe we have to learn to give credit when it is due. The last few weeks have been trying and he has built a national consensus that Pakistan will not be allowed to be made a scapegoat for the West's failings in Afghanistan. He has achieved much and he is starting to show himself as a statesman Pakistan can be proud of.
“We all are in the same region and we want to work together for peace and prosperity in the region and I think we should work together.” First sane voice coming from Pakistan after all the chest thumping against every neighbor. Let us join in the peacful alliance with our neighbors for a change. We have practiced hate for over 6 decades, let us give toleranc and respect a try instead of trashing and name calling!
This is a mature response from Prime Minister Gilani .
Sir, Is the stratagic depth intact or have you lost it ?