Islamabad needs to drive home to Washington and its other allies overseas that there is little to be gained by threats to Pakistan. It seems evident that at least in FATA, the military is doing all it possibly can to thwart terrorists. The attacks on the GHQ and the Parade Lane mosque make it obvious that the Taliban are enemies. As the prime minister quite correctly explained to Mr Gates, Pakistan can hardly offer up assurances to India of no further attacks given the dangers it itself faces from militants. What we need at this juncture is a rational assessment of quite why Pakistan continues to face so immense a threat. The deprivation of people, particularly those in the tribal areas, is linked to this. There are complications too in the fact that so much about current strategy on militancy is kept secret from people. The operations of Blackwater and other private security agencies are a case in point. All those who wish to see an end to terrorism – including Washington and New Delhi – need to put heads together with Islamabad and see how this goal can best be achieved. The answers lie in strengthening Pakistan and working towards addressing the grievances of its people. Some of these stem from the unjust US policies pursued in the region for decades. Simply issuing warnings or suggesting more emphatic military action will serve little purpose. In this context, Pakistan needs to come up with a blueprint for action and persuade its key allies that this needs to be followed if there is to be any headway against terrorism and an end to the internal threat it poses to the people of Pakistan.