Comment – Disengaging from Afghanistan

729

President Donald Trump’s statement that Pakistan has been harbouring terrorists on its soil, created much nationalistic hype in Pakistan. Diplomatic contacts have reached their lowest ebb in recent years. Pakistan’s Foreign Office cancelled the scheduled visit of the Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Alice Wells’ trip, at the eleventh hour on 27 August; which marks the first dent on diplomatic ties after Trump’s statement. In the past, Pakistan has been more complacent in its relations with the US; accepting the American blame-games and failures of its policies in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s reactions this time may affect relations between Islamabad and Washington in the long run.

Read More