ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s decision to end a seven-month blockade of NATO troop supplies was a rare bright spot in relations with the U.S., but disagreements over issues such as American drone strikes and Islamabad’s alleged support for Taliban militants still hamper a relationship vital to stabilizing neighboring Afghanistan.
Even before Pakistan shut down the supply line in November in retaliation for American airstrikes that killed 24 of its troops, the relationship was plagued by anger and mistrust. Islamabad was livid with the unilateral U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011 and a CIA contractor who shot to death two Pakistanis a few months earlier.
The deadlock over NATO supplies ended Tuesday when the U.S. apologized for the deaths of the Pakistani troops and Islamabad agreed to reopen the route.
The accord should ease tensions somewhat, but tackling other problems could prove difficult because the long stalemate that followed the November attack intensified bad feelings in both capitals.
“Given the history of the past 12 to 18 months, there is a huge residue of mistrust and mutual suspicion,” said Tariq Fatemi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the U.S. “I would not rule out the possibility of a small incident derailing the normalization process.”
U.S. officials had expected the first trucks carrying NATO supplies to begin crossing into Afghanistan on Wednesday, but bureaucratic delays held that up. Trucks are now scheduled to begin moving across the border Thursday morning, although it will take days to get back to levels prior to the attack, said Pakistani security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
Pakistan is likely to face domestic backlash, given rampant anti-American sentiment in the country and the government’s failure to force the U.S. to stop drone strikes targeting militants and accede to other demands made by parliament.
“It is an insult to our nation,” said Maulana Samiul Haq, chairman of the hard-line Difah-e-Pakistan, or Defense of Pakistan Council. “The rulers have put national interest at stake just to please America.”
