NEW DELHI: Hectic preparations are on for the visit of US President Barack Obama to Delhi on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be the main guest for the Republic Day preparations in what was interpreted as a major coup for the new government and its PM who was persona non grata for the US till just before the Lok Sabha elections last year.

However, media reports appearing in the Pakistan media a few days ago of a meeting between US Ambassador in Islamabad Richard G.Olson and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar revealed that the US Congress, based on a certification from the US Secretary of State John Kerry, has notified a $532 million civilian assistance package for Pakistan under the Kerry-Lugar Act. Under this Kerry certified that the Pakistan government’s action had “prevented the al Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayaba and Jaish e Mohammad from operating in the territory of Pakistan “ for a year.

This comes despite the meetings held by the mentor of LeT Hafiz Sayeed in Pakistan, as well as the visible face of Jaish chief Masood Azhar who has been holding meetings and issuing statements. India has protested against what it claims is the Pakistan support for these leaders and their organisations but to no avail.

Kerry who is co-author of the Kerry-Lugar Act that was brought in with protest from Pakistan at that time, has issued the necessary certification for Pakistan insofar as dealing with terrorism, including the Kashmir-centric groups is concerned. This paves the way for the crucial US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad at almost the same time as when President Obama will be in India on a basically ceremonial visit.

The certification and the release of the aid to Pakistan makes it clear that the Washington has returned, unambiguously, to its old position of embracing Islamabad as its strategic ally. The softener creates the background for enhanced cooperation for the pull out of the foreign troops from Pakistan. The Strategic Dialogue reopens after almost four years, the last being held in 2010 and the effort being abandoned after the Abbottabad operations that took out Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011. Working groups had been set up at that time to look at Pakistan-US strategic cooperation in the areas of energy, security, strategic stability and non proliferation, defence, law enforcement, counter terrorism, economy and finance.

Kerry is also scheduled to visit the Vibrant Gujarat celebrations on this month in India. This is also ahead of the US Presidents visit, and will feed into the preparations underway by both the US and India. It is unlikely that New Delhi will raise a fuss about the certification as it comes on the eve of the presidential visit.

Pakistan meanwhile has ratcheted up the campaign on Kashmir, and against India’s refusal to proceed with the composite dialogue. It has approached the UNSC Security Council and EU heads of mission in Islamabad, as reported by The Citizen, to urge them to pressure New Delhi for talks as it was finding it difficult to continue with its military operations against the terrorists.

The US is clearly on a fast track process of mending ties with Pakistan, with the deficit of trust clearly overcome. Working and closer relations between Kabul and Islamabad has also helped, with the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan now spearheading the efforts for the normalisation of Afghanistan.

Talks between PM Modi and President Obama will be crucial in determining the path both take in the coming weeks, more so as the latter will be under pressure when he arrives from human rights organisations at home to take up the issue of violence against the minorities. It is largely with this in mind that the media has been told by ‘sources’ that PM Modi has urged RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to desist from the ‘hindu rashtra’ statements and activities. The ghar wapsi program that has targeted both Muslims and Christians has caused some consternation in the US, being covered extensively by the local media there.

Meanwhile in response to a question the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said:?"How the Government of the United States of America decides to spend US Tax payers money is entirely its prerogative.

However, India does not believe that Pakistan is showing "sustained commitment" or making "significant effort" or ceasing support" or dismantling "bases of operations" of the Laskhar e Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, the Haqqani network and quite possibly the Al Qaeda.

Also with increasing citings of Punjabi/urdu speaking elements operating with terrorist groups inside Afghanistan, we now also know that these very groups also pose a significant threat to members of the international community working in Afghanistan including to Indian diplomatic personnel working in the Indian Embassy in Kabul and our four Consulates.

But as I said before-How the Government of the United States of America decides to spend US Tax payers money is entirely its prerogative."

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