The intelligential and people are equally flabbergasted as to why both the United States and Pakistan are avoiding subtle and meaningful diplomacy to sort out their difference and remove the trust deficit and move on. Trading charges against each other through electronic and social media outlets without substantive proof is nothing but an exercise in futility. In an interview with Reuter, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that any sanction against Pakistan would be counterproductive to its battle against militants which is a larger war in the world. He stressed that the present government will go ahead with its plans to seize the control of charities by militants designated terrorists by Washington. He warned the US not to weaken Pakistan in war against global terrorism. Pm Abbasi brushed off US President Donald Trump recent tweet accusing Pakistan of “lies and deception “in its commitment to fighting terrorism.
As usual the United States laid the blame of terrorist attack on Hotel Intercontinental in Kabul the last weekend on the militants hiding in Pakistan in which scores of people were killed including foreigners. The attack was claimed by Afghan Taliban. In a sharp reaction to this attack Washington has urged Islamabad to arrest or expel Taliban from its territory and prevent them using Pakistan’s soil to support its operation in Afghanistan. White House Spokesperson Sara Sanders told reporters on Monday that the attack strengthened the resolve of the US to support Afghanistan. “We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel Afghan Taliban leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistan’s territory to support its operation. Spokesman of Foreign Office, Dr. Mohammad Faisal gave a candid rebuttal to the allegations regarding the recent attack on a hotel in Kabul. In twitter message he said, “We reject the knee jerk allegations by some Afghan Circles to point the finger at Pakistan for terrorist attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. There is a need for credible investigation into the attack, including on reported security lapses.
This is a bitter fact that Pakistan and the United States are goode friends and will remain so in global and regional affairs. Never in the past seventy years was any misunderstanding made a political football with allegations and counter allegation traded in print media, on electronic and social media outlets. Back-door diplomatic channel used to be active tor prepares a ground for open and proactive diplomacy. Ironically, our diplomats in Washington and New York, Aiaz Choudhry and Ms Maleeha Lodhi are acting like firebrand politicians more than diplomats. They fail to convince the international community that Afghan Taliban control vast areas in Afghanistan as Dr. Ashraf Ghani government has admitted that 40 percent areas of Afghanistan are controlled by Taliban. The political leadership in Islamabad has only one priority to show allegiance to PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif day in and day out. They are least concerned about the spillover effect of instability and lawlessness in Afghanistan. The PML-N and PPP leadership is averse to empower the law enforcement agencies and give them free hand to completely purge South Punjab and Interior Sindh from the sleeper cells of banned outfits.
The National Security Committee had decided that that Afghan Refugees must be repatriated and tnofurther extension for their stay shall be granted beyond 31st January. But the federal Minister for SAFRON still seems unwilling to communicate in black and white the repatriation plan to the Afghan Chief Commissioner and UNHCR Afghanistan Ambassador in Islamabad Umer Zakhel wall categorically told a Jirga of Afghan Refugees that it is time to pack up for the home journey. Then why ministry of SAFRON is indulging in its usual delaying tactics. The presence of Afghan refugees is the major factor of terror attacks, kidnapping and murders for ransom, extortions and robberies. The early return of Afghan Refugees to Afghanistan will also deflate the US propaganda of militants’ safe heavens in Pakistan. There is a dire need for sagacious decisions in the domain of foreign and internal policies.
