Opinion Inching closer
Pakistans decision to reopen NATO supply routes compromises its principles
Pakistans decision to reopen NATO supply routes compromises its principles
As pressure to show progress since the bilateral talks last month mounts,both Pakistan and the United States appear to be inching towards a face saver to resume transport of NATO ground supplies,suspended following the NATO raid on Salala checkpost in November last year. The first move came from the US,inviting President Asif Ali Zardari to participate in the NATO summit in Chicago unconditionally. While the Defence Committee of the Cabinet has yet not resolved the question of resuming ground supplies,Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar stated that Pakistan has made a point and would like to move on. Apologists for the government claim that the decision to hold supplies,though bold,was unsustainable.
Reports from Islamabad indicate that the reopening of the ground route is imminent in a deal where the US will clear over a billion dollars of the Coalition Support Fund,withheld for two years,and pay an enhanced transit fee for containers meant for NATO,amounting to a million dollars a day. For Pakistans cash-strapped economy,this is hard to resist,especially going into an election year. Pakistan is about to offer its services for cash at the expense of its principles.
Relations between Pakistan and the US are now clearly tied to how the US sees Pakistans role in winding down US military involvement in Afghanistan. The ground supply route is the most visible sign of Pakistans participation in this US war and draws universal condemnation within the country. The right-wing Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) that includes Hafiz Saeed has drawn huge crowds vowing to prevent the reopening of NATO supply routes. The government believes that the DPC agitation has run out of steam,and the centrist political leadership does not want the right-wing to set Pakistans foreign affairs agenda.
Pakistans troubled economy also compelled it to cave in to US pressure. A US committee voted to tie future aid to Pakistan with its cooperation. and Pakistans economic lifelines,Saudi Arabia and the UAE,appear dried up due to conservative Arab anathema against Iran and Pakistans decision to proceed with the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline.
US President Barack Obamas admission in Kabul that the US was in direct discussions with the Taliban (read Afghan resistance) vindicates Pakistans position of calling for a dialogue to find a solution in Afghanistan. For Pakistan,giving in to US demands could win kudos for the government from outsiders,but this will come at a price. While the US still holds most of the cards,it is not easy to dismiss Pakistan,whose cooperation is necessary if there is to be peace in Afghanistan.
Sajjad Ashraf is an adjunct professor at the National University of Singapore
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