An encounter that is being phrased as the icebreaker between United States and Pakistan has emerged a new line of possible bilateral relationship between the two countries again. Silence that followed the Trump’s remarks of August 21 has been broken with the first meeting of Pakistani PM Abbasi and American Vice President Pence. This meeting that has been framed positive until now might has its own repercussions. One of the concerns that haunt the prospective positive and peaceful tie is all what went before, during the war on terror. Smooth US-Pakistan ties have always received a jolt whenever the United States has been backfired from Afghanistan. Pakistan has always been blamed for the failure of U.S occupation in Afghanistan. A pervasive narrative not only in America and Afghanistan but around the world has been naming Pakistan as the major ally of anti-state agents in Afghanistan. This narrative has entrenched deepen with every passing year of Afghan war and has given air to further accusations as that of using American aid and housing militant groups. The obstinacy of the two countries that serves as the prelude to the existing tensions has yet to be answered. Support of Haqqani network, 2011 attack on Osama bin Ladin’s compound, accusations of double-game on part of Pakistan, speculations on differentiating between good and bad terrorist, are only to name a few dilemmas. The major disagreement between the two countries emerges with the contradictory stance of negotiations with the Afghan Taliban. America with its 16 years of failed war still looks into the military solution whereas Pakistan after bearing the brutal consequences of that military occupation wants America to find a peaceful way with the Afghan Taliban. Moreover, the prospective Indian involvement by President Trump to resolve the Afghan issue has just added fuel to the fire. A recent meeting of Pakistani PM with the US VP Pence has put a blanket on all the discrepancies. But if this blissful moment marks the destiny of the fluctuating ties or is it just another event added to the disruptive timeline of the two countries is still the major question. The leap that both the countries have followed since the time of Soviets have seen number of furious speeches as that of Donald Trump and has also witnessed the like of meetings as that of the recent one in United Nations General Assembly. What intrudes over here is the post scenario of this meeting on the Trump’s further stance on South Asia policy which is yet to be awaited.
Failed Afghan war has always jolted US-Pak relations.
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