The Pulse

It’s Time for Imran Khan to Patch Things Up With the United States

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The Pulse

It’s Time for Imran Khan to Patch Things Up With the United States

Pakistan’s domestic doldrums mean it needs the United States on its side.

It’s Time for Imran Khan to Patch Things Up With the United States
Credit: Facebook/ Imran Khan

U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, Gen Joseph L. Votel, in a recent statement said that Pakistan needs to guarantee that “there are no instructions, direction, other things coming from Taliban leadership that remains in Pakistan to their fighters on the ground in Afghanistan.” He further said that “The Pakistanis also need to use their influence with the Taliban to force the Taliban leadership to come to the table.”

With both states’ inability to address the question of a “mismatch of interests” in Afghanistan, not much can be expected from the United States and Pakistan’s bilateral relations in the near future. However, this environment of confrontation may hurt Pakistan more than the United States.

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