Great game against Pakistan

Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - United States, these days, is intensely engaged in diplomatic activities that could pose strategic challenges to Pakistan in the time to come, perhaps, in a bid to send some kind of threatening message to the country to toe its lines. Soon after setting up of a trilateral forum with India and Afghanistan in a clear attempt to create a sense of exclusion in Pakistan as far as Afghan affairs are concerned, a summit meeting between President Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has noted that their nations face persistent and evolving domestic and trans-national terrorist threats, including from terrorists based in Afghanistan and Pakistan and hence the need to work together. Russia also reportedly agreed to help the US deal with the problems arising out of closure of NATO supply routes from Pakistan.

These moves clear by show that the United States was busy enlisting support of regional and global powers for a strategy that is surely aimed at pressurising and squeezing Pakistan, which is indicative of a great game against Pakistan. What is happening in Balochistan, FATA and Karachi, where foreign powers are known to be involved in stirring trouble, should leave no doubt that something ominous was cooking up and needs to be countered through political and strategic moves as well as bolstering of the internal unity and cohesion. Americans have long been resorting to arms-twisting of Pakistan on the pretext of nuclear proliferation and terrorism but willingness of Russia to lend a helping hand to Washington in realizing its regional objectives is worrisome in that Pakistan has been trying its best to forge closer economic and strategic ties with Moscow. Besides paying bilateral visits to Russia, President Asif Ali Zardari has attended a host of regional meetings where he met Russian leadership as part of the effort to promote ties between the two countries. The latest development comes at a time when President Zardari was about to leave for Moscow for two day visit for talks with Russian counterpart on ways and means to strengthen bilateral relations and attend an international economic forum. Pakistan has also made its keenness to improve relations with Russia known by announcing its plans to host a regional conference on Afghanistan which would include Russia and extending invitation to President Putin to pay a bilateral visit to Pakistan on the occasion. We hope that during his meeting with his Russian counterpart, President Zardari would raise the issue of this new nexus against Pakistan.