US Acknowledges Pakistan's Duplicity, To Review Ties
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-09-15 02:03:44
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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement that the US is aware of Pakistan's duplicity and is reviewing ties with it is most welcome. That the realization has dawned after a humiliating exit from Afghanistan in the longest war fought by the US is surprising as the evidence of Pakistan's underhand dealings with the Taliban and other assorted terror groups, and its patronage of terror groups targeting India, was always there. Yet, if it now marks a big shift in US-Pakistan relations, it will put huge pressure on Pakistan to mend its ways.
Pakistan has always displayed itself as the frontline state that was the subject of terror attacks from groups in Afghanistan and due to its location, best positioned to combat it. The Western powers fell for this. They pumped millions of dollars in aid and military support to Pakistan to enable it to counter the Taliban. But Pakistan used this aid to support and arm assorted terror groups to keep the game running and demand more aid. The charade went on for a quarter of a century and despite evidence that Pakistan was playing a double game, the US and its allies kept on supporting it in the hope that all will end well and the US will be able to crush the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The new axis that is being formed by China and Pakistan with support from Russia always meant that the US will have to redefine its ties with Pakistan. The Afghan exit was the last straw. For Pakistan, it will mean additional pressure as it is already on the FATF grey list. As the US is now likely to apply immense pressure on Pakistan to clean up its act, the usual practice of the country taking just token action against terror groups will not do. If that happens, it will benefit India as terror funding from Pakistan and its unstinted support to terror groups targeting India will go down.
pic courtesy: istockphoto.com
