Mending ties

Mending ties

Pakistan and the United States are expected to commence the rebuilding of their mutual ties when Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani meets President Barack Obama on the sidelines of a nuclear safety summit in South Korea next week.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the issues of drone strikes, the attack by US Nato forces on a Pakistani check post on November 26 and new taxes on transport of goods for coalition forces in Afghanistan.

While the meeting has been planned, no official announcement has been made by the PM’s office.

“It is expected that the meeting will help the two sides better understand each other’s position and set the tone for negotiations on resumption of bilateral cooperation,” a report in this newspaper said today.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said in an interview earlier this week that her country wants to build a relationship with the US that “has the ownership of Pakistani people and that it works for both sides in a way that is respectful of Pakistani sovereignty.”

It has also been stated, by the Foreign Office and Pakistan’s ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman, that the nature of the relationship depends on the recommendations of the parliament.

While Pakistan seems open to the resumption of friendly bilateral relations with the US, official statements suggest it will stick to its stance against drone attacks and seeking an unconditional apology for the Salala attack.

How will the US respond to Pakistan’s cautious approach towards rebuilding the relationship?

Will the superpower agree to the terms and requests put forth by its ally in the war on terror?

Do you think the meeting between the two leaders will go a long way in resurrecting the damage done in the recent past?

Dawn.com invites its readers to share their views and opinions.

 

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27 Responses to “Mending ties”

  1. Jabbar Mohmand says:

    For withdrawal they need Pakistan in many ways… to give some burden of Afghanistan as well…

    • Bharat says:

      I don’t think so – they used to get 90% of their Afghanistani needs through Pakistan until Obama came in – Now they only use it for 30% of their war needs.

      The Americans will just destroy everything that they cannot take back. All that stuff gets written off as soon as they deploy it.

  2. Bharat says:

    It is very strange – as soon as Pakistan’s relationship with USa got from bad to worse – the PM went over to China for help

    Is Pakistan ever going to stand on it’s own two feet – and never ask anyone for help ?

    • Jabbar Mohmand says:

      where u live? in this world? it’s all about politics… the idea of standing on one’s feet is ridiculous as depicted in our poetry… it is world of realities, games, interests…

  3. Aziz Rakla says:

    Pakistan, doesnot need American Aid, all Pakistan need is that America, leave Pakistan in peace, but as super power America wants its way, forcefully.

    America has used its media power and CIA to demoralise Pakistan in every respect. Uptill now Americans were getting their way by back door dealings with Pakistani politicians and Generals, but now strong opposition leaders, has forced Pakistani leadership to deal with America according to aspiration of Pakistani people.

    And as world knows, more then 70 percent people in Pakistan have negative feelings for USA and there are lots of reasons, 1. drone attacks, 2. paying war expenses to Pakistan only 20 percent of what actually cost to Pakistan 3. Not giving civilian nuclear technology to its most important Ally, 4. Asking Pakistani Army to kill its own people and shamelessly saying kill more.

    Govt. of America, be fair to Pakistan, like normal Americans, who are fair and honest people of this earth.

    • Bhu kh says:

      as world knows, more then 70 percent people in Pakistan have negative feelings for USA but if given
      USA VISA they will immediately immigrate to USA.

      • Aziz Rakla says:

        Still singing old song, poor and rich, wake up Asia is getting rich also and pl. visit Pakistan to see it yourself, you will be surprised, it is on rise. And pl donot mix with economic and aspiration of people and America is country of economic immigrants.

        • Mustafa says:

          Those who hate America, should stay away from America. Do not sell your precious aspiration for American Dollars. Live in Pakistan and be contented.

  4. K B Kale says:

    USA has managed without this supply route for nearly 3 months. They have found alternatives from northern routes. They may tell Pakistan to “go jump in a lake”.
    Then what happens to Pakistani economy?

    • Aziz Rakla says:

      Three times Pakistan refused to to accept, visit of senior American leaders to discuss this matter, judge yourself and if you want peace, no need to request Pakistan, as no Pakistani wants to open this route.

  5. syed baqar ahsan says:

    Option with USA are not only limited rather it is only one ie Pakistan as far as Afghanistan is concern,therefore it is matter of serious nature for Americans to get out of “might is right”approach to remain in the region.

  6. syed baqar ahsan says:

    Americans must understand that Pakistan is no more in position to listen and obey to desires of USA for the reasons that Pakistan is now answerable to Iran,China,Russia,Afghanistan as well as India of his past blind coop to US.Therefore American need serious change in his attitude to approach.For Pakistan it was easy under dictatorial rules(always sponsored by USA)to obey and provided strong base for CIA operation all round Pakistan now it is no more possible to take dictates.Now all the balls are in the American court to ascertain his future in this region.

  7. Nasah (USA) says:

    The meeting will be as usual a failure because the PM has abdicated his role as the leader and the formulator of his country relations with the outside world — hiding behind the apron of the parliament – what a cop out!

    It is like the cart pulling the horse.

  8. Jawed says:

    I am a Pakistani and working outside the country since 1998. I want to bring all my hard earned money to my country and invest in Pakistan. My discussion from my colleagues from time to time reveals the same feelings. But due to dirty politics and bowing to US for powers, who has imposed war and conflicts by its unwarranted war mentality on world in general and Pakistan in particular. Instead of taking money from US, if we work towards bringing peace in the country, I think we can lend money to US, which is effectively bankrupt state and surviving on the money deposited in its banking system by international community specially oil rich Muslim Countries.

  9. jkomerath says:

    Hi Dawn.
    The govt of Pakistan has strange logic.They want everything for nothing-They expect the US to bail out the Pakistan economy for nothing,want to be handed over the Drone Technology
    LEARN FROM INDIA,ACCEPT DEMOCRACY,FORGET RELIGION AND ACCEPT COMMON DECENCY

  10. raika45 says:

    As long as you need American money, you cannot dictate terms.There are those who will oppose this statement saying that Pakistan does not need such help.Take a look at your foreign reserves and what is due this year to pay out.What makes you think that America will listen to you.

  11. Atan says:

    Parliamant has demanded the the US Army or US government make a unconditional apology for Salala incident. Well I would love to see the Americansd doing that ( they should ) but should and would are two diffferant things.

    Has the Pakistan Army apologised to our Bengali brothers for all the killing that was done in what was then East Pakistan? It has not so how do we expect the most powerful army in the world to apologise?

  12. Akram says:

    Pakistan should not be a part of the war against our Muslim brothers in Afghanistan. Gilani should catagoracally tell Obama that we can not reopen Nato supplies due to public pressure. We should learn from Iran and focus on economic progress. But who will do this, Zardari, Gilani, Altaf, Shujaat, Asfand, Fazal or Nawaz Sharif. They are all in government. We have no expectation from these corrupt leaders. Army is also losing its dignity. time to think, how to win the hearts of public, instead of US masters.

  13. Syed Ali Asad Jafri says:

    I believe too much Muslim blood has been shed for a war that portrays Pakistan as an evil nation. It is time that the West pay for what it has done.

  14. M. Asghar says:

    The cardinal principle for Pakistan has to be to defend its interests in the region in the face of those of USA, knowing that mosy of them are not compatible wiith its.

  15. Muhammad Obaidullah says:

    It’s good news that there is possibility of PM Gilani and President Obama meeting in South Korea. This meeting will have two fold effects, firstly, Pakistan will get a chance to retreat its stance and clearly tell US findings of Parliamentary committee. Secondly, it will give both the leaders a chance to get first-hand information. Whenever there are so many middlemen involved, the decision makers never get real story. There is always something added to it or it is set in such a tone that the other person takes it wrongly.

    US as a country and as an ally have always been gracious. United States as a country is vibrant society and hub of innovation. There is so much Pakistan should have learned in 72 years but it’s our weakness that we never learned anything from such a friend. Pakistani government should pursue their goals and US should pursue their goals. Whatever, common area we get we should collaborate for betterment of both the countries.

    • sohaib says:

      Pakistan is 65 years not 72 years. get your fact right. Since when US had been gracious and why Pakistan needs to ‘retreat’ from its position?

      • Agha Ata says:

        Pakistan Resolution was passed on March 23, 1940. That’s why we celebrate on 23rd March. Get your facts right. :)

  16. sajid khan says:

    USA will not accept the relationship of equality and mutual respect. Many in US congress
    and the people in general are contemptuous of Pakistan. The ill feeling almost bordering
    on hostility arise from Pakistan’s support for Taliban and Haqqani group and hiding Bin Laden
    in Abbottabad. The idea of Pakistan’s duplicity (receiving money from USA and supporting the enemy)
    has been given so much media coverage without any effort from Pakistan to counteract it is firmly
    embedded in American conscious. If Justice Iqbal’s commission find that Ijaz Shah and Gen. Musharraf
    knew in 2005 about Bin Laden residing in Pakistan and lying to US officials, the hell will break loose.
    Probably some sort of functional relationship will be restored till 2014. After that the ties
    will diminish to a minimum level without diplomatic cut off.

    • sohaib says:

      Iraq anyone? The fact that you are talking about are fabricated ones to appease the audience that US occupying Afghanistan is for a noble cause. But Pakistan is hurting that noble cause by supporting Taliban, which it should. Like it or not, US will eventually leave. It is us that will have to take the brunt of their follies. We will have to live the Taliban and these groups. So we need not create permanent enemies.

  17. sohaib says:

    Can we please get out of this useless war on terror? Why are we a pert of this occupation and imperialism? If we want to be a part of it, then we will pay the heavy price as we are doing it now. There is a middle ground. We dont have to vacillate between two extremes of either war or total subjugation. We need to break the shackles of slavery and bust the myth of aid. A little courage and some leadership badly needed.

  18. Agha Ata says:

    Both countries need each other. But since Pakistan’s international image is tarnished in several ways recently, and since Pakistan has always been more interested in image and the form rather than the ground realities and the substance, its attitude towards the USA shows more reluctance than willingness.

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