Will Pak-US relations change?

The POST, Sun, Mar,23, 2008.

Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema

The American Vice President Cheney recently stated that he was convinced that Pakistan’s new government would battle extremists. ‘I expect they will be good and effective friends and allies of the United States., just as the previous government has been’, said Mr. Cheney in a joint news conference with the Afghan President Hamid Karazai. He further stated that he has no reason to doubt about new governments commitments to deal with the problems that emerge from the troubled tribal area along with Afghanistan. He also stressed that the new Pakistani government has ‘as big a stake as anyone else’.

For quite sometimes the American officials along with their well known agency have been highlighting, the hitherto unproven fact, that Al Qaeda has safe havens in Pakistani tribal areas. However Mr. Cheney appears to have modified the original American assertion and has now stated that Al-Qaeda linked militants are based in the tribal areas. ‘A government has an obligation to control its sovereign territory, to make certain that territory doesn’t become a safe haven or a sanctuary especially for the terrorist groups’ he said.

Undoubtedly the recent assertion certainly appears more convincing. Many observers would agree that the militants either sympathetic to Al-Qaeda or linked with the terrorist groups have in some form been using certain pockets of Pakistani tribal territory. Mr. Cheney’s expectations that Pakistan’s new government would certainly fulfill its obligations are not ill founded.

Following the events of 9/11, Pakistan joined the US-led international coalition to combat global terrorism. This role as a “front line state,” now in its seventh year, has been internationally recognized and acclaimed. US leadership has repeatedly not only described Pakistani efforts as ‘courageous’ but has also highlighted in positive terms.

As far as the American administration is concerned it has somewhat continuously appreciated the role Pakistan is playing as a front line state. However neither the Congress nor the American media has been as generous as the incumbent administration has been in showering the deserving appreciation. The American media in many ways questioned the Pakistani role and stressed that it should do more while did not mentioned American failures in Afghanistan which, in turn, have a direct bearings upon the troubles in Pakistani tribal areas.

It is a well known fact that not only enormous amount of money has been spent in an effort to stabilize Afghanistan but success continues to remain somewhat illusive. Instead of recognizing it own inabilities, the media reflected efforts to put the blame on Pakistan rather then strengthening American efforts. This indeed was viewed by many Pakistanis as diversionary tactics.

Hiding from existing realities does not make efforts meaningful. It has been suggested in the pages of this very newspaper so many times to confront the ground realities and consult the most effective partner namely Pakistan in order to make joint efforts productive. It is indeed a matter of gratification that the government of Pakistan lived up to its commitment and at no stage it hesitated to carry out its commitments.

It is not too far fetched to assume that no other partner in the international coalition to combat terrorism has made so many sacrifices as has been done by the Pakistanis yet the Pakistanis were consistently put under pressures to do more. Despite many Pakistanis intensely disliked the American assertions in their media, yet Pakistan remained steadfast in its efforts against terrorism.

One of the major costs the Pakistanis had to pay for participating in the international coalition to combat terrorism was that its own territory was engulfed in terrorist’s activities. For a vast majority of Americans both the Taliban and Al Qaeda are synonymous but for Pakistanis they are different. Al Qaeda mostly consists of foreigners who have managed to gain some inroads among the local population in some sections of the tribal areas.

There is no doubt that the new government in Pakistan would continue its fight against the terrorists for its own reasons. It is possible that tactics may change but fight would indeed continue till total eradication of terrorism is attained. No government can afford to allow to terrorists to inject instability within the country. However each government has its approach which they would adopt. No government allows that its national interest be either ignored or even damaged in any form.

What is interesting in Mr. Cheney’s statement that was issued in Kabul is an attempt to embark upon a realistic path. Admittedly the modification reflected in the statement is not all that great but even an attempt to be more realistic augurs well for future pursuits. It is more believable when an important official stresses that Al Qaeda linked militants are based in some parts of Pakistani tribal area rather than saying that Al Qaeda has a base in the area.

Just as it is anticipated by the American Vice President Cheney that the new government would deal with the menace of terrorism as effectively as the previous Pakistani government has done so far, it is also not too far fetched to assume that the new regime in the United States would also carry out its commitments though different signals have been emanating during the process of electioneering.

As far as the changes in foreign policies are concerned, it has always been the prerogative of the incumbent governments. All political parties make commitments during the process of electioneering and once they win the election then they may appropriately carve the policies in accordance mostly with election promises. But sometimes these may be modified in accordance with dictates of time.

Given that fact that the new government is going to be PPP led government and PPP’s most respected leader has been brutally assassinated by the terrorists, it is safe to assume that fight against terrorists is not going to witness any major change. However it is not too far fetched to assume that changes may be introduced in the overall relationships between the two countries.

Both the US and Pakistan are going to have new administrations and both of them have made promises and commitments which they are likely to pursue in some forms. It is expected that the wild statements issued during the American presidential electioneering would find more sobering constraints once the new administration takes charge. By and large it is expected that on many issues there won’t be much disagreements.

The writer works for Islamabad Policy research Institute.