The "extremely opposing views" emanating from within the U.S. Congress about Pakistan's counter-terrorism policies and efforts to promote peace in Afghanistan have confused several Pakistani policy makers. Pakistani policy makers seems to be "puzzled" over Washington's conduct with regard to its relationship with Islamabad.
Pakistan and the United States have had a phase of uneasy relations over the allegations that Islamabad's counter-terrorism operations are focusing only on militants linked to the anti-state, Pakistani Taliban and is sparing sanctuaries linked to the Afghan militants, including Haqqani Network terrorist group.
Recently U.S Congress has prevented the Obama administration from subsidizing the sale of eight F-16 fighter planes to Pakistan. The recent US Congressional hearing under the title "Pakistan: Friend or foe" has further infuriated the Pakistani senators. Some lawmakers and witnesses during the hearing has demanded Washington to cut off all the financial and military aid to Islamabad and accused the Pakistan military of maintaining ties with Taliban and Haqqani militants fighting the U.S.-backed Afghan government.
"The hearing you have referred to was informal and was very thinly attended. Mr. Ted Poe, who was behind the idea of hearing, himself did not attend it. His negative bias against Pakistan is well known, so nothing positive could be expected," asserted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Nafees Zakaria.
Former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan and United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, had even urged the United States to adopt a policy of total isolation against the Islamabad and turn it into a "second North Korea" to force it to cooperate for peace in Afghanistan.
Owais Leghari, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, has asserted that Pakistan is being increasingly blamed and turned into a "punching bag" because of setbacks the U.S. policy has suffered in Afghanistan.
"They are looking at securing the Pakistan border in a more substantial way. So, I want to help Pakistan, and they are doing the right thing and there is a lot of improvement to be made. But I would acknowledge it a step in the right direction," said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
By Premji
