Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during his recent meetings with US secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton had discussed bilateral issues and matters pertaining to regional security. The much anticipated meeting took place in the backdrop of invitation Mike Pompeo had extended to Foreign Minister Qureshi during his short visit to Islamabad last month. Besides deliberating on the prevailing situation in the war-torn country-Afghanistan, the two sides are reported to have discussed a whole gamut of issues relating to bilateral relations, war on terror and peace and security in the region. Earlier, FM Qureshi had separate meetings with US senators and National Security Advisor John Bolton. During the meetings both sides expressed their desire to work together and to move forward positively, however, these meetings have so far not been able to cause a major breakthrough in the frosty relationship between the two countries. For peace and stability in South Asia Foreign Minister Qureshi had stressed the need for an enduring relationship between the two countries but the US authorities’ fixed mindset seems to be one of the major hurdles in the way of resetting US-Pak relationship, which has been on the lowest ebb since President Trump took reins of power in Washington. Pakistan had reiterated its principled stand to work and engage with the US to bring peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, but the Trump administration besides seeking Islamabad’s help in negotiating talks with Taliban had repeated its age-old “do-more” mantra, which not only undermines the Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism but negates the sacrifices Pakistani nation, its armed forces and civilians have rendered while fighting the decades’ long battle against war on terror. Since the two countries have enjoyed a long relationship spanned over the last several decades there is a dire need that the US should recognise Pakistan’s sacrifices and its indomitable role in fighting the war, which took a heavy toll in terms of loss of human lives, disruption of social life and retardation of economic growth in the country. It is time that the two countries should stay engaged with each other, open up channels of communication at different levels to resolve differences and disagreements peacefully to revive the stalled strategic dialogue as a strong and stable relationship between the two states is imperative to take the war on terror to its logical conclusion.
