Pak-US strategic dialogue By Sajjad Shaukat

Pak-US strategic dialogue will be held on March 24 in Washington. Preparation for the dialogue has already started as American high officials have commenced visiting Islamabad. Recent trip of the US National Intelligence Director Dennis C Blair is an example. During the strategic dialogue in 2008, both sides had discussed regional and international issues of common interest.
The US had expressed support for continued dialogue and improved relations between Pakistan and its neighbours. Washington and Islamabad had also agreed to co-operate in the fields of education, science, technology and energy. However, the United States did not compensate Pakistan fully in terms of its promises and the losses which the latter bore during war on terror. Instead a blame game against Islamabad was started coupled with the maxim, “do more” against the militants. The result was trust deficit between Islamabad and Washington. On March 13, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the objective of strategic dialogue with the US is to enhance people-to-people strategic relationship which will bridge the trust deficit. Gilani elaborated that the dialogue would broadly cover economic, defence, security and social sectors. He further stated that his government’s objective is not only to upgrade the dialogue status, but also to develop a solid and enduring framework for long-term Pakistan-US relations. However, Washington meeting will be of utmost importance for both the US and its frontline ally in the war on terror. The significance of the Pak-US strategic dialogue could be judged from the fact that Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaque Kayani is the first army chief who will also be part of the delegation headed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Recently, General Kayani held a meeting with Foreign Minister Qureshi to discuss the agenda for the Pak-US strategic dialogue. In the said meeting, the COAS exchanged views on matters related to Pakistan and India. If read between the lines, this exchange is actually going to be the focal point of the agenda at the meeting in Washington. Sources suggest that during the Pak-US strategic dialogue, Pakistan would reiterate its demand for civil nuclear cooperation for power generation and greater access to the US markets or preferential trade agreement for Pakistan so as to stabilise its economy. As regards Reconstruction of Opportunity zones (ROZs) Pakistan had a multi-pronged policy, and the establishment of ROZs was a part of this strategy, but the country right now needed immense economic relief by America in the short term. Islamabad is fighting against militancy to ensure the global peace. In this regard, Pakistan’s armed forces have already broken the backbone of the Taliban militants through successful Swat-Malakand and Waziristan military operations. In this context, US-led western countries have highly appreciated Islamabad, donating million of dollars. Now, Pakistan deserves that US must fulfill its needs by extending cooperation in the nuclear, energy and drone technologies. Pakistan has made enormous sacrifices and suffered immensely in the global war against terrorism. Nonetheless, if we judge the losses of any country regarding war on terror in the last eight years, Pakistan as a frontline state has given great sacrifices in terms of human life, collateral damage and economic losses. In this context, the economy suffered huge losses in terms of exports, foreign investment, privatization and industrial production. Chairman Pak-US Business Council and VP SAARC CCI Iftikhar Ali Malik had pointed out on March 24, 2009: “Pakistan’s economy has suffered irreparable loss of $68 billion due to turmoil in Afghanistan. According to an estimate, Pakistan’s national economy is exclusively suffering a net loss of $7 billion annually as fallout of the war against terror, which has displaced thousands of people. No doubt, Pakistan has sacrificed more than NATO and USA owing to this new style conflict. Besides other losses like suicide attacks and lawlessness in the country, more than 2000 personnel of the security forces have been martyred during war against militancy. Moreover, since 9/11, Pakistan’s security agencies have also killed or captured many militant commanders which also include the masterminds of Al-Qaeda, namely Khalid Sheikh and Abu Faraj entailing other key leaders. With their war phase coming to an end, the plan to leave Afghanistan is very much on the agenda of the US-led NATO forces. The Americans are seeking an honourable exit from Afghanistan, but they do not want to leave without ensuring a stable government in place. For this purpose, they need the help of Pakistan. But it seems that Pakistan is not happy with the Karzai government’s negotiations with the Afghan. In this regard, setting aside Islamabad is not a good signal. Recently, President Karzai expressed his displeasure at the arrest of top Taliban leadership from Pakistan, especially Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Karzai has said that these measures were taken to sabotage the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and that Pakistan. The fact of the matter is that Indian RAW and Afghan Khad were trying their utmost to arrest Baradar, but failed in doing so. His arrest by the Pakistan’s security agency has irked the eyes of New Delhi and Kabul. Meanwhile, American military and civil high officials have highly praised Islamabad in connection with the arrest of Baradar. In this respect, on February 13, this year, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates stated that Pakistan has made ‘real progress’ in the war against terrorism—the recent arrest of Taliban commander Baradar and two ‘shadow’ Taliban governors was a positive development. Besides, US Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Michelle Flournoy and Senator Joseph Lieberman also praised the role of Pakistan’s ISI, in the arrests of Afghan Taliban leaders. Pakistan insists that India should not play an active role in Afghanistan. During the Soviet invasion and even after that, Pakistan’s western border was safe due to pro-Pakistan regime in Afghanistan. But 9/11 opened the door for India to make an entrance with its aid, reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes in Afghanistan. In this respect, Afghanistan where India already set up terrorist training camps has also started building new cantonment areas as she announced to increase her troops up to 150,000. Under the pretext of Talibinisation of Afghanistan and Pakistan, Indian secret agency, RAW has well-established its networks, and has been running secret operations against Pakistan from its consulates of Afghanistan. Besides, causing lawlessness in our country, another aim behind is also to get a strategic depth to encircle Pakistan. In the recent past, Secretary of Defence Robert Gates has urged India to be transparent with Pakistan about their activities in Afghanistan, while on September 20, last year NATO commander, Gen. McChrystal clearly revealed: “Indian political and economic influence is increasing in Afghanistan including significant development efforts…is likely to exacerbate regional tensions.” Now, the American generals directly connected with war in the region have come to realise that without Pakistan, the war against Taliban cannot be won. So, this demands to keep India out of the war theatre. Pakistan would like to be assured that the post-war Afghanistan doesn’t become a hub of Indian intrigues against it. President Obama is almost exclusively fixated on military victory against the Taliban and that it should come before the end of year, when the US Congress goes for elections. The overwhelming feeling in Washington is that the Pakistani military can play a key role in achieving this target. All this shows a big U-turn in the US policy regarding war against terrorism. Pakistan should be adequately compensated for the losses it has suffered due to the ongoing war; otherwise its beleaguered economy is bound to breed discontent that in turn, will produce more militancy, damaging the US global interests.

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