From one side Pakistani government, Army and other players have been implementing their plans by creating human disaster in Northern Waziristan; from other side it seems like, Pakistan is trying to reach some of its strategic goals by these and other similar steps.
Even though Pakistan is trying to pressurize Afghanistan by rocket assaults and other military signals and seeks to reach its own or their strategic friend’s aims; they are at the same time paying a high cost of some of their wrong policies in this regard and are seeking alternatives.
US Pakistan mutual interests and challenges
Due to its presence in the region especially in Afghanistan, US plays a vital role in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, mutual benefits between these three sides cannot be taken unseen when going through analysis.
US needs Pakistan, for the short run it needs the country for its logistics required for the war, military cooperation through ground and air, for a long run Pakistan’s support for US plans and using it’s abilities, which has made US to play double games with Pakistan; sometimes it gives incentives while in some cases Pakistan gets to be victim of US conspiracy.
Currently most of US Pakistan cooperation evolves on this so-called war on terror; but US cannot take unseen Pakistan’s importance on confrontation with China and Russia.
While Pakistan at the same time centers its relations around the billions of US dollars and some US policies. However US does not have a strong policy for Pakistan nowadays, which has worried Pakistan and makes it try to shape its US relations according to its interests, but it seems like this time Pakistan has been trapped on the dark side of its friendship with US.
Pakistan understands that it cannot count on US friendship like in the past, when Bangladesh was separating from Pakistan, it tried a lot to receive US cooperation according to the pact it had signed on 1956, but Pakistan was left waiting for a never coming US ship that would help Pakistan against India.
Meanwhile, recently Pakistan is suffering from some other US conspiracies too, a good example for which is the recent chaos in Pakistan. Some foreign circles could support some internal Pakistani circles that are now using Pakistan intelligence assistance for fulfilling intelligence goals of others.
But now Pakistan has taken itself to a point where even if it wants cannot get out of the chain and such an act maybe very costly for it, therefore, Pakistan may have to accept some policies of the west whether it wants it or not.
Overall, however there are some differences and confrontations between interests of US and Pakistan, US still needs a continuous friendship of Pakistan for its long-term goals for the Middle East and its silent war with China.
The common interest and contradiction of America and Pakistan in Afghanistan:
The continuation of war in Afghanistan, prevention of a good government, using Afghanistan for the implementation of West’s coming scenarios and other similar objectives can be named the common interests of America and Pakistan in Afghanistan. America has always given priority to Pakistan in the matters of Afghanistan but this priority during the years 1989 was not to be considered a US policy or a case of submitting the issue of Afghanistan to regional forces.
From the other hand, a lot of issues have become contradiction for these strategic partners and created many issues and problems for each other.
There are many other politics that have created contradiction and problems in their strategic relations. For instance, the difference of vision and mission of both partners against India, difference of relations with China, and the dissimilarity of politics against Iran, Russia and other central Asian countries. The shortage of Indian aid and support in many areas in Afghanistan is also one of the demands of Pakistan that creates problems in the partnership of both partners. Even the last mediation of Pakistan has psychological effects and by having influence on coming government, Pakistan can play with its opponents in the region.
America and Pakistan have played similar role in weakening and crushing each other enemies and opponents too. In the year 2013, when Pakistani government seriously started negotiation with Pakistani Taliban, the main purpose of which was getting advantage from America in the matter of taking out American troops from Afghanistan; American drone attacks killed the leader of Pakistani Taliban Hakimullah Mehsud in the same time. Americans also played a very negative role in the selection of new leadership of Taliban that some of them took actions for taking revenge from Pakistan.
In these recent days, especially after the second round of election in Afghanistan, some of America’s hidden movements have worried Pakistan as the situation in Pakistan is also getting worse in these days so Pakistan has started pressurizing America again. The attacks on Afghan borders and increasing military forces on the border by Pakistan is an indirect pressure on America.
Pakistan is in a condition that now due to compulsion will go with Afghanistan with its old policy due to America; even they know that they will have to pay for their improper policies in the future.
Pakistan sees some advantages in the friendship of America. Using the power of American for the implementation of its long term plans, the issue of Durand Line with Afghanistan, the help of America in defeating Pakistani Taliban and empowering itself against India are the issues that are in the schedule of Pakistan for the future in the partnership of America.
Afghanistan’s Stance:
No one can neglect this reality that the current war and politics of the region will have winners and losers and normally the winner is the initiator or the one who has influence for the implementation of plans. Afghanistan almost 60 years ago by giving its negative vote against the establishment of Pakistan in United Nations hasn’t had a strong stance to defend its advantages.
Afghanistan on international level can never put pressure on Pakistan and whenever this need is felt Afghanistan has opened its hands for USA a country because of which Afghanistan is suffering and gets threats. The summoning of Pakistani Ambassador in Kabul and other struggles were all for deceiving Afghan nation.
Afghanistan doesn’t have the capacity to pressurize Pakistan through propaganda and the American aids have blocked the way for economic pressures too. Afghan government will never have the capacity to do so in the future. Especially in the last decade when we are the witness of presence of American troops in Afghanistan, Afghanistan’s foreign policy was very week and even in the last years didn’t have a clear policy to take actions against the clear conspiracy of the West.
Afghanistan being the witness of being the clear battle ground of the world’s super powers and the influence of West in the political section of Afghanistan caused not only the poor attraction of support for Afghanistan but also facing many more challenges and the best example for that is the all time direct and indirect threats of Pakistan to Afghanistan. With this the regional talks and conferences also didn’t have any fruit for Afghanistan as wasn’t very strong against the plots and the real leadership and initiative was with foreigners.