US-Pak ties and the fate of Afghan war

America’s behavior towards Pakistan has long been beset by questions for Afghans, which has, beside other factors, escalated concerns about Washington’s intentions regarding Kabul. The relations of United States with Pakistan, as a country to which nearly all known terrorists in the world trace back, bolster the suspicions that the superpower is after its own goals in the guise of war on terror.
Since the resurgence of Taliban, the United States totally knows that Islamabad is supporting anti-Afghan government elements. Pakistan alone was even behind the rebirth of the Taliban. Despite all these, Washington not only has maintained relations with Islamabad but has also given it a colossal amount of financial and military assistance under pretexts which are hard to believe. America still has not taken any steps that can convince Afghan people as the primary victims of the ongoing war that it is seeking to eliminate terrorism in the region.
The United States says it has cancelled $300 million aid to Pakistan from the Coalition Support Funds. The Pentagon has confirmed that the decision has been taken due to Pakistan’s inaction against terror groups, while holding out the possibility that Islamabad can win back that support if it indiscriminately targets all terrorist groups. Meanwhile, Pakistan has said the amount was a reimbursement, not assistance, alleging that it has already spent the money in the war on terror.
This is not the first time the United States is either threatening to cut or suspend aid to Pakistan. This game has been ongoing for several years now, but has not led to any behavioral change in Pakistan that can contribute to regional stability. Islamabad continues to support and harbor many terror groups carrying out disruptive activities in Afghanistan and India.
If the United States is really seeking to resolve Afghan conflict and eliminate terrorism from the region, it has to bring a real shift in its policy. The first thing the United States can do as part of that is to target the leadership of Pakistan’s powerful military. Many Pakistani military leaders have capital in the West, including the US. As the first step, the freezing of the capital and sanctions against the military leaders can prove more effective than cutting aid to Pakistan.