ISLAMABAD – Pakistan may give it yet another try to bring Afghan Taliban tothe negotiations table, Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan has revealed.

It’s yet to be seen if such talks would join the countless failed attemptsto bring the Taliban to the table.

Kabul has repeatedly accused Pakistan of assisting the group and affiliatedmilitants. Islamabad has denied these allegations, but opposes increasedIndian influence in Afghanistan, which Trump is encouraging.

Pakistan’s military, which effectively controls security and foreignpolicy, fears encirclement from its arch-rival on two fronts.

Khan suggested a recent spate of Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul that lefthundreds dead and wounded last month were “blowback” for Trump’s troopincrease and aggressive policy reducing U.S. efforts at nation building,which Khan called “short-sighted.”

Since then no “serious dialogue is happening” between Pakistan and the U.S.and intelligence cooperation has drastically been reduced, Khan said.

Lower level working relations have been blocked, while ministerial andhigher level bilateral discussions aren’t productive, he said.