Pak foreign minister says ties with US at delicate stage

Islamabad, Apr. 13 (ANI): The strategic relations between Pakistan and the United States are deteriorating following India's enhanced role in the US strategy on Afghanistan.

The situation became apparent after a prickly Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi pointed towards a trust deficit between the two allies and asked the senior partner for a fair treatment based on mutual trust and respect, the Dawn reports.

Background interviews revealed that strains in the relations were much more serious than visible.

"The ties are in a very delicate stage and there are very few options left for both the allies - either to concede some ground to the other or to enter an all out confrontation," a diplomatic source opined adding things may worsen in days ahead because the Americans are known to be bad listeners and have an inclination for 'bulldozing' the matters.

The trouble in U-Pakistan paradise became clearer when the Obama administration said that it was looking towards a greater role for India in Afghanistan.

Pakistan, which was already distressed by Obama's U-turn on the Kashmir issue, got even more shocked with the introduction of the Peace Act of 2009 in the US House of Representatives.

The Act attached stringent conditions to the proposed 1.5 billion dollar annual assistance, which required Islamabad not to support any person or group involved in activities meant to hurt India.

Alongside all this there was a stepped up vilification campaign against Pakistan's premier intelligence outfit - Inter Services Intelligence accusing it of supporting Taliban.

To top it all, the US reportedly is planning to expand drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas, which is only going to worsen the matters. (ANI)