By Huma Yusuf

…. In Washington, too, politicians and pundits are rethinking their strategy for engaging with the two faces of Pakistani power. Recent talk of coups, revolutions, orphans and actors have left many scratching their heads, wondering what the Pakistani political set-up is fated to be in coming months.

Previously, Washington has known that it could rely on the Pakistan Army in turbulent times to stabilise the country, check the excesses of the civilian government, and protect US interests on the ground. At this juncture, too, the US needs to be confident about the reach of GHQ’s puppet strings. In the run-up to November’s mid-term elections, with the situation in Afghanistan deteriorating, Washington will be counting on our army to keep bickering politicians on a tight leash, and instead focus on striking at Pakistan-based militants and, eventually, brokering a deal (the key to a US exit strategy) with the Taliban. …

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