Chicago Summit and supply routes’ dilemma
By: Khalid Iqbal | May 23, 2012
As the Chicago Summit was on, the Western media carried reports that President Barack Obama had declined a formal meeting with President Asif Zardari until the supply routes were restored. With this, both Pakistan and America have exposed the crude fragility of their bilateral relations. America has indicated that it could go to any extent to arm twist Pakistan, in the context of the reopening of the supply routes via Torkham and Chaman. Its dependence on the supply routes through Pakistan came to fore once Washington’s bluff about the much trumpeted viability of the Northern Distribution Network (NDN) was called – in November last year. Pakistan also stood exposed about its economic vulnerability. Though direct American aid accounts for only 15-17 percent in terms of direct budgetary support, the real trouble surfaces when multilateral lenders look for Washington’s nod before entering into any arrangement with Pakistan.
In the run up to the Chicago Summit, a flurry of activity took place to reassess the cost-benefit balance of reopening the supply routes. The pressure was tremendous: external coaxing and American lobbyists from within Pakistan had almost pushed the government to reopen the route before the summit. Its significance was, indeed, grossly exaggerated. Thanks to Leon Panetta’s arrogance in rejecting Pakistan’s proposed transit charges, a disaster was averted.
