Top US general coming to Pakistan

 The top US commander in the Middle East said on Tuesday he will travel to Pakistan in about 10 days to talk with leaders about reopening ground supply routes that have been closed since late November, reported Washington Post, quoting an American news agency.

Pakistan shut down the supply routes in an uproar over US airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in an exchange of fire at the Afghanistan border on Nov 26.

US officials have worked to try and repair the tattered relations with Islamabad.

Pakistan has rebuffed any US military visits since the airstrikes, and Islamabad’s parliament is working out new guidelines to define the US-Pakistan alliance.

It has been more than three months now since Pakistan suspended NATO supply routes into Afghanistan owing to fraught relations between Pakistan and the United States. Relations between both the countries fell to the lowest ebbs after NATO gunship helicopters attacked a Pakistan military checkpoint in Mohmand Agency, killing 24 Pakistani soldiers. A number of subsequent reports into the incident suggested the attack was unprovoked and unwarranted for.

Trust deficit between both the countries touched new heights after the incident and Pakistan felt the United States was pushing the country to the wall. Civilian and military leadership of Pakistan then took the unanimous decision of blocking two NATO supply routes. The supply routes to NATO troops stationed in Afghanistan was shut down and still remain suspended. A number of other bold steps were also initiated against the US.

General James Mattis – the United States Central Command Commander – has said that he will be visiting Pakistan in the next couple of days to have dialogue with Pakistan's civilian and military leadership for reopening the supply routes. The development is heartening, as the official visit of General James Mattis would be the first one of any high profile US official after the November 26, 2011, Salala check post attack.

The general, while speaking to the US Senate Armed Services Academy, said that the ground lines were of great importance to both the countries. The general appeared optimistic for resolving issues with Pakistan. However, it is yet to be seen how he is welcomed in Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistani civilian and military leadership refused to meet Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman, saying he was not the right man to meet with during escalating pressure between both the countries.

The US has been facing a lot of difficulties since the supply routes to troops in Afghanistan were blocked three months ago. Pakistan also boycotted the Bonn Conference held in Germany to discuss different ways to bring peace in Afghanistan after the US withdraws its troops from the country at the end of 2014. Both the countries cannot afford strained relations for a long time because both of them depend on each other for a number of things.

Although Pakistan blocked NATO supply routes, the country has kept its skies open for the supply to US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. For the first time, the US ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter, revealed yesterday that Pakistan's airspace was being used for the supply. Later, Pakistan Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtarconfirmed the statement by the US ambassador, saying the airspace was allowed for perishable items. Let’s hope, General James Mattis will be successful in getting a favorable response not only from the military leadership but also from the civilian government.