Since the unveiling of the new AfPak strategy by the Obama administration, the international media have focused on Pakistan; its viability as a nation-state, the safety of its nuclear weapons and its role for peacemaking in the region. US proposals for Pakistan’s engagement in the region require a number of commitments from Pakistan.

However, tensions between the US and Pakistani establishments have apparently grown over issues such as the Pakistan government’s negotiations with Pakistani militants, US drone attacks inside Pakistani territory and a failure to recognize Pakistan’s reservations towards what it sees as India’s increasingly dominant role in the region. If Pakistan is to have a meaningful role in the proposed regional solution for Afghanistan, it is imperative to understand Pakistan’s concerns and reservations.

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