Suspension in drone strikes can provide Islamabad with two-way opportunity; to engage Taliban in constructive dialogue
ISLAMABAD: The US commitment of “cooperating in talks with the TTP” is an indication of the CIA drone campaign suspension for understandable reasons. Yes, suspension, not a complete halt because engaging the Pakistani Taliban in talks would help facilitate in providing the American containers a secure path to Karachi and Gwadar. Suspension in drone strikes can provide Islamabad with a two-way opportunity; to engage the Taliban in constructive dialogue, and secure a permanent peace deal that may lead to a positive outcome that can ultimately result in a permanent halt in the drone campaign beyond 2014. It would depend upon both Islamabad and Peshawar and how they play their cards in the coming months.
F Z Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2013.
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