When the US pulled the last batch of its troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, it was the end of what many believe was a costly and unwinnable war. For 20 years, the US and its allies spent trillions of dollars only to see the return of the Afghan Taliban, who were thrown out after the 9/11 attacks. The US involvement in Afghanistan brought Pakistan again in the spotlight as Washington needed Islamabad's help for its campaign in the neighbouring country.

Despite the trust deficit, the successive US administrations had to work with Pakistan given its strategic location. But once the US was out of Afghanistan, relations with Pakistan started dwindling. It was almost the repeat of first Afghan Jihad when after the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan, the US left Pakistan in lurch. Washington imposed crippling economic sanctions on Pakistan, reinforcing fears that the US can never be a trustworthy partner.

The situation again looked bleak when the US withdrew troops from Afghanistan. President Joe Biden, once a........

© The Express Tribune