PAKISTAN AT CROSS ROADS (2) Posted on 03 August 2014 at 00:13 The relationship between Pakistan and the United States has been the fluctuating one.In the times of global tensions as is cold war and post 9/11 here has been active engagement .Contrarily in the periods of détente as in post cold war,April 1991,this engagement has been transformed into estrangement.The present state of affairs has become strained due to many factors.At first the unilateral US drone strikes for the Last 6 year and other operational moves have raised concerns in Pakistan.Most recently the friction has been the result of us Navy Seals unilateral operation to kill Osama Bin Ladin in May 2011,NATO blitz against Pakistan army check post in Salala at Mahmand Agency and Pakistan’s steps to abandon its logistic route for NATO supplies and evacuating of Shamsi Airbase from America in 2011. US is undermining Pakistan’s efforts in war on terror which cost the lives of more than 35000 Pakistanis,both civilian and military,dilapidated law and order,economic loss of 68 billion apart from loss in export,investment and growth and rising strategic sensitivities on our western border are explicit instances of Pakistan’s sacrifices.Apart from this the land of Afghanistan also become problematic for Pakistan. Afghanistan and India have often worked together even against the interests of Pakistan.Apart from Taliban regime there has not been a friendly government in Afghanistan in relation with Pakistan’s genuine security concerns. At present Afghan territory is being used by Afghanistan-based militants for cross border attacks against Pakistan in Chital,Upper and Lower Dir,Bajawr and Kurram resulted in killing 250 people including civil and military personnel.According to Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies NATO forces and Afghan army have violated Pakistan’s border at least 194 times from 2007 to 2010.Miserably 67 such accidents have occurred in 2011 alone in which 57 Pakistanis lost their lives.As for as this courage is concerned ,the role in Afghanistan cannot be ignored.
