US slams Pak for linking Afghanistan peace, Kashmir

The imbalance between the civil and military sides and their strained relations has been an issue in Pakistan.

Reportedly, the key security and foreign matters are decided and run by the army leadership.

However, with Pakistan facing global isolation of late due to the militancy threat, the civilian government made it clear to the military that wiping out terrorism is imperative for Pakistan's survival.

According to Pakistani media reports, the country's civilian government has informed the army of the increasing international isolation of Pakistan due to the growing militancy.

The government has reportedly emphasized the need to curb extremists and also the military's non-interference in the legal proceedings against the militants.

The civilian side also sought the consensus of the army on many key actions by Pakistan.

Karachi-based Dawn newspaper reported about an unusual conversation that took place between the top government officials on their approach to militancy.

Several high-level meetings between the administration and the army have reportedly been held and several key decisions have been taken.

The crucial meetings were described as the government's "blunt, orchestrated and unprecedented warning" to the army not to interfere in its anti-militancy approach.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently chaired a high-level meeting that was attended by the top cabinet and provincial officials.

Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director-General Rizwan Akhtar too attended the meeting.

One of the most important discussions of the meeting was the understanding of China's support to Pakistan.

Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said that China has reiterated its "all-weather" support.

The Dawn reported that while Pakistani officials welcomed China's support, they were also worried about its indicated preference for a change of course.

Notably, while the Chinese have conveyed their willingness to continue putting a technical hold on the UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, they have also reportedly questioned Pakistan what the logic behind keep blocking the ban repeatedly was.

Nawaz Sharif has directed that fresh attempts be made to quickly resolve the investigation into the attack on Pathankot Indian Air Force in Jan'16 allegedly carried out by Pak-backed terrorists.

Sharif also said that he wanted the stalled 2008 Mumbai terror attacks-related trials to be restarted in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi.

India's primary demands were Pathankot investigation and an action against Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Reacting to Pakistani envoys' attempts to say that peace in Afghanistan was linked to resolving the Kashmir dispute, the US slammed Pakistan and clarified that the two situations are unrelated.

The US government's South Asian affairs expert Peter Lavoy added that Uri was a "clear case of cross-border terrorism."

He added that India had a "right to defend itself."