The United States does not appear to be tired of repeating its ‘do more mantra’ with Pakistan. Two days ago, Richard Olson, US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, used the forum of Senate Foreign Relations Committee to tell Pakistan that its struggle with terrorism wouldn’t come to an end “until it makes a decisive shift in its policy of tolerance towards externally-focused groups.”
A key externally- focused group is the ‘Good Taliban’, namely the Haqqani Network, also known as Afghan Taliban.
The Obama administration had also conveyed this message to the Pakistani government, reminding Islamabad that there could be no peace in the region until these cross-border attacks stopped, Olson told the committee.
“While the progress Pakistan has made through its recent operations is laudable, its struggle with terrorism will not come to an end until it makes a decisive shift in its policy of tolerance towards externally-focused groups,” the American diplomat warned.
“US officials have been very clear with the most senior Pakistani leadership that Pakistan must target all militant groups without discrimination – including those that target Pakistan’s neighbours – and close all safe havens.”
Richard Olson was American envoy to the land of pure before taking up the present assignment. As US Special Representative for Af-Pak. He told the American law makers that Washington and Islamabad should have a constructive relationship for bringing peace and stability to the region.
There was all-round optimism when Ashraf Ghani took over the reins in Kabul that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan would improve. These ties have “peaked and troughed” over the past year in part due to critical issues, including refugees, border management, and counter-terrorism, as Olson remarked.
After a meeting in June between Afghan and Pakistani foreign policy chiefs, both sides agreed to coordinate at senior and tactical levels on border management issues. The first tactical-level meeting took place in late July. Both sides have since agreed to meet again.
“We support this mechanism and believe that more bilateral dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan will increase prospects for mutual understanding, regional peace and stability.”
Olson patted the Pak military. “Pakistani military had made ‘progress’ in shutting down terrorist safe havens through Operation Zarb-i-Azb and most recently in Operation Khyber III in the Rajgal Valley of Khyber Agency’’, he said but added “Pakistan’s struggle with terrorism wil n’t come to an end until it makes a decisive shift in its policy of tolerance towards externally-focused groups.”
According to Olson, Pakistan has also worked with the United States to decimate core Al Qaeda.
Reflecting the changing regional dynamics, the United Sates is willing these days to support the India-Afghanistan relationship. “We welcomed India’s provision of training and non-lethal security assistance to Afghanistan and its significant development contributions over the past decade-plus,” he said.
As an extension of the new approach, Washington has revived US-India-Afghanistan trilateral consultation mechanism. The first meeting of the trilateral talks will take place next week on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York.