NOWADAYS, Washington is fully engrossed in implementing different strategies to engage the Afghan Taliban. The revival of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group meeting held in Muscat is a wise step by China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US, aiming to achieve peace in Afghanistan.

Washington must be made to understand that it needs to halt its drone strikes in Afghanistan, as holding dialogue and using drones simultaneously seems to be an unwise approach. Consequently, the Taliban have started to retaliate against America’s new Afghanistan policy.

Pakistan has always supported the involvement of the US in Afghanistan. In fact it has always shouldered more than its fair share of the burden at the behest of Washington.

It is time Pakistan realised that it must adopt a policy of need-based relations with Washington in its national interests.

Jalil Raza

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2017