IT seems the US is obsessed with the idea that its new Afghan policy will work by coercing Pakistan into ‘doing more’ and giving India a free hand to act as the policeman in the region.

During the Soviet occupation, Pakistan extended unequivocal support to the US forces to defeat the Red Army. Similarly, once again, Islamabad played the role of a front-line ally to America in the war on terror which has cost Pakistan dearly. Now, at this crucial juncture when more than 40pc of Afghan territory is under the Taliban control, blaming and sidelining Pakistan on the Afghan issue will be counterproductive.

Washington must realise that undue favour to India means totally ignoring the valuable efforts and unprecedented sacrifices made by Pakistan to rein in the twin banes of extremism and terrorism.

The anti-Pakistan activities of RAW in Karachi and Balochistan need no telling. If President Trump decides to downgrade Pakistan’s status as a non-Nato ally and reduce civil and military aid to the country, it will do an incalculable harm to the shared interests of the two countries.

Muhammad Fayyaz

Mianwali

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2017