The past few months have seen ties between Pakistan and the US coming to an all-time low point. The unexpected new-year tweet by President Donald Trump accusing Pakistan of ‘lies and deceit’, accompanied by a suspension of security assistance, has obviously led to significant damage. Soon after that we had a warning from the US and its allies who make up the Financial Action Task Force that Pakistan could be placed on the infamous ‘grey list’ if it failed to take measures to tackle money-laundering and financing for terrorists. This warning became reality as the Foreign Office confirmed on Wednesday that Pakistan would indeed be ‘grey-listed’ in June this year. At the same time, as Washington continues to work with Kabul we have had a series of strong statements from President Ashraf Ghani accusing Pakistan of harbouring terrorist safe heavens on its soil. The two traditional allies then are no longer on close terms. In these circumstances, the low-key visit this week by Lisa Curtis, the senior director for South Asia at the US National Security Council is of some interest. Though little has been said about the visit, Curtis held talks in Islamabad on Tuesday and Wednesday, meeting the interior minister and Foreign Office officials. It is unclear what was said during these meetings, although there are insinuations that Curtis, seen by analysts as being pro-India, warned Pakistan that a completely new kind of relationship needed to be built. Pakistan, already under immense pressure with respect to the FATF censure, has been left with little choice.
What is possibly a source of encouragement is the fact that Curtis’ visit can be seen to have been intended to avoid a complete breakdown in Pak-US relations. While Curtis, who according to American media will soon be promoted to a more senior post within the Trump administration, has like the rest of the Republican Party been strongly critical of Pakistan, somewhere there must also be recognition of reality. As past US diplomats have openly said, the US cannot really hope to develop a South Asian policy without cooperation from Pakistan. It is also understood that dialogue between the two nations has been continuing since the New Year and Trump’s damaging tweet. That is reflected in the most recent statement by US Centcom regarding Pakistan’s anti-militancy efforts, with Gen Votel stating that there has been enhanced communication between the two countries and that Pakistan was essential to Trump’s South Asia strategy. The general told a US Congressional panel that the US values its military-to-military relationship with Pakistan and would like to increase this communication.
It makes little sense to discuss Pakistan and the US without mentioning Afghanistan, since one of the biggest reasons Pakistan continues to find itself of value – and importance, whether negative or positive – to the US is our supposed influence over the Taliban. In a series of big developments, the Afghan president has offered what can be called a rather large olive branch to the Taliban, offering to recognise them as a legitimate political reality, while also indicating a willingness to work with Pakistan in an effort to start afresh. With the Taliban seemingly open to talking to the US and the Afghan government too looking to change ground realities in their country, change of tack seems to be in the air. As far as Pakistan and the US are concerned, the reality is that Islamabad and Washington both need to find a way to work with each other, given their long engagements in the affairs of the region. Curtis’ visit was clearly intended to help this process along. What shape it will take in the future is yet to be seen.