Pakistan’s counterterrorism strategy in Afghanistan is rife with inherent
contradictions, caught between an inclination to fight militant forces and yet
having to partner with some to strengthen its future bargaining position. The
policy flows out of Pakistan’s multiple strategic requirements: its need to remain
engaged with the United States, to save itself from the Taliban attacking the
Pakistani state, and to fight India’s growing presence in Afghanistan. Caught
between these three issues, Islamabad’s counterterrorism policy and objectives
continue to lack clarity. At best, the policy illustrates the tension between
Islamabad’s need to protect itself against an internal enemy and its sensitivity
toward the external threat from India.