Ever since the US launched its global War on Terror, the Pakistan-US relationship has touched both its highest peaks and lowest ebbs. Initially at least, the US saw Pakistan as its frontline partner in this war, going so far as to designate it a major non-Nato ally. Subsequent years, however, were marked by much finger pointing and accusations, which strained the ties so much so that they appeared beyond repair at times. At the heart of the mistrust were differing views on how best to resolve the conflict in Afghanistan. As Washington blamed Islamabad for allowing Taliban safe havens on its side of the border, in Pakistan the impression grew that the US was unappreciative and insensitive to sacrifices of the former in a war that was forced on it.
Against this backdrop, it is heartening to see the US now increasingly vocal in its appreciation for Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process. In a recent meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, the top US negotiator for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, thanked Islamabad for its ongoing efforts toward ending the conflict in the war-torn country. Although the process still appears as precarious as ever, there is the growing sense at least that Washington is seeing eye to eye with Islamabad for now. Pakistan may have had its share of faults and mistakes, but recent developments have laid bare the flaws in the US policy on Afghanistan. The leaked Afghanistan Papers have established beyond a shadow of doubt that the American policymakers who executed this two-decade-long conflict had little clarity on what it was meant to achieve in the first place.
Ultimately, it is the regular people of Afghanistan who have suffered the most. After two decades of living in relentless conflict, it is about time they finally see lasting peace in their country. That, above all else, should be the objective that all stakeholders should work towards. One hopes all sides involved do not lose sight of this.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2020.
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