PAKISTAN ARMY PLAYING ‘DOUBLE GAME’ WITH U.S.

New York, July 2: Slamming Pakistan for refusing to cut ties with the Haqqani network of militants, a leading US daily here has said the military of the ‘crippled and chaotic’ state continues to play a “double game” of accepting aid from America while helping the Afghan Taliban.

The New York Times said in the editorial piece titled ‘Crippled, Chaotic Pakistan’ that for years, Pakistan ignored the Obama administration’s pleas to crack down on militants who cross over to attack American forces in Afghanistan.

Recent cross-border raids by Taliban militants who kill Pakistani soldiers should give Islamabad a reason to take that complaint more seriously, it said.

“Fighting extremists should be grounds for common cause, but there is no sign that Pakistan’s military leaders get it. They see the need to confront the virulent Afghan-based insurgency that threatens their own country and has killed thousands of Pakistani soldiers and civilians,” it added.

“But they refuse to cut ties with the Haqqanis and other militants, who give Islamabad leverage in Afghanistan and are the biggest threat to American efforts to stabilise that country,” the Times said.

It added that Pakistan’s political system is growing “ever more dysfunctional,” even as the need to take on the border chaos becomes more urgent.

The editorial said it makes sense that India becomes more involved in Afghanistan, “as long as its activities are transparent”, and Indian companies invest in the war-torn nation. Pakistan had a chance to develop into a more stable country after 2001 when it had strong leverage with the US, which needed help to defeat the Taliban.

— PTI