Pakistan, a country is again stopped by the US Government from getting a huge military grant of $ 300 million for conducting counter-terror operations. After the first ever historic terrorist attack on the US soil in September 2001, the then US Government launched a global war on terror and formed a coalition of nations to fight this menace. The US has created a fund for partners under the ‘Compensatory Support Fund’ for aiding in operations in Afghanistan.
Pakistan being a partner in the fight against terror, has so far availed $ 14 billion. But this fund can be granted only after a certification from the US administration that Pakistan is doing enough to fight the terror. This time the fund could not be released because the Defence Secretary Ash Carter has not yet certified that Pakistan is sufficiently fighting the Haqqani Network.
This comes as a big slap on Pakistan, the country which has been closely assisting the US in the war on terror. Today, Pakistan is under pressure from many quarters and its sincerity in counter terror operations are being widely questioned. Why soIJ Who is in charge in PakistanIJ Why the country is not acting against a number of terror outfits that are directly involved in fanning outlawed activities, particularly cross-border terrorism against IndiaIJ Do the civilian government in Pakistan has the firing power or it is fully under the control of the armyIJ For long since the independence of Pakistan, the country has been under the control of the army and it still continues. The successive civilian governments, whenever they used to be in power, had hardly enjoyed any control over the army. Therefore, it is the army which decides how to go ahead in any anti-terror operations whether it is in Afghanistan or anywhere else. Thus, the current Nawaz Sharif Government has absolutely no say and it dances in the tune of the army.
Indeed the country is in a total mess and anytime soon it may pass into an abyss. The US must realise that Pakistan is no more a trusted ally in its fight against terrorism. Washington must pressurise Pakistan to pound on all the jihadist organisations fanning across the country. The Pentagon’s swift move to block the latest aid is a timely move and Pakistan must be isolated internationally so that it is forced to act on the Islamists who rules the roost in the country.