THE US State Department spokesperson, at a briefing for journalists on Tuesday, once again targeted Pakistan by declaring, rather imperiously, that Pakistan needs to build good relations with both India and Afghanistan. Given how both India and Afghanistan have adopted hostile postures towards Pakistan, perhaps it is time the US proffered this advice to these two countries with whom it is closely tied in one way or another. After all, Pakistan has gone the extra mile to improve relations with both these difficult neighbours. With Afghanistan it has just concluded a new Transit Trade Agreement with extremely beneficial clauses for that country and with India it continues to strive for resumption of dialogue, despite Indian intransigence on that count. In return, Afghan Minister, Spanta, has called for an international coalition to be formed against Pakistan and Kabul continues to provide succour for Baloch separatist militants as well as allowing India the use of its territory for covert action against Pakistan. As for India, it continues to level unsubstantiated charges of terrorism against Pakistan merely to avoid resuming the bilateral composite dialogue. Now, in a clearly aggressive action, it has released waters into the Ravi and Chenab Rivers at a time when the sole intent has to be to aggravate the flood situation in Pakistan. So it will become increasingly difficult for Pakistan to build good relations with these two neighbours unless they change their approach towards Pakistan. The US, which has a strategic partnership with India, with a very strong military component, should also take note of the continuing violence being perpetrated by Indian security forces against youth armed with little more than stones, in Occupied Kashmir. It is time the Obama Administration took note of the resurgence of a new wave of an indigenous struggle by a new generation of Kashmiris for their right of self-determination, and compelled India to move in that direction. The Kashmiri intifada, passed on from one generation to the next should have made it clear to the international community that the Kashmiris will never accept Indian occupation. It should have been abundantly clear also to the world that unless this core conflict of Kashmir is resolved in keeping with UN Resolutions, there can be no peace and stability in this nuclearised region. By turning a blind eye to Indian abuses in Occupied Kashmir, the US is effectively condoning the Indian Occupation and the abuses being perpetrated on the Kashmiri people. The US must change its approach to India and the Kashmir conflict. It is time for the US to demand a more rational approach towards Pakistan from Afghanistan and India. Pakistan cannot continue to make unilateral concessions and goodwill gestures endlessly; no matter how inclined the government may be to appease the US.