Pakistan has been playing “games” with the US at least when it comes to the war against terrorism, cross-border terrorism and Kashmir, a former top US intelligence officer has said.

Testifying before a Congressional panel on Afghanistan and Pakistan, former National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia Paul R Pillar said Pakistan simply shows to the US that it is going against the terrorists, while in reality it is not.

“The Pakistanis are very adept at playing these sorts of games with foreign governments in doing just enough to keep us satisfied,” he said.

“This... has taken place for years with regard to their activity in Kashmir and the cross-border operations,” said Pillar, who is now visiting professor and director of studies, Security Studies Program, Georgetown University.

“To be quite blunt, you know, the Pakistanis have played games with us, in terms of, you know, making perhaps more of a show of going after elements we’re most concerned with in the northwest, which is not to say that they haven’t done real operations and indeed have incurred substantial casualties.”

“But then have brought things to a halt and have reached these various agreements and truces, whether it’s the people in Swat or elsewhere, that have fallen short of our objectives,” Pillar said in response to a question from Chairman of the Sub Committee John Tierney.

He also said there is an “undeniable link” between the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Pakistan Government, which has used it to serve its interests in Kashmir.

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