The last three days of 2007 shed light on 30 years of the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship. They also illustrated the degree of danger represented by Islamic radicalism in the Afghanistan crisis, particularly with the re-emergence of the Taliban.

The Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

On 25 December 2007 Benazir Bhutto emphasized her commitment to fighting Islamic extremism. The following day President Hamid Karzai, in Islamabad on an official visit, met President Pervez Musharraf. The two leaders had already met in Ankara to discuss ways of fighting Islamic extremism; they underlined the urgency of creating a common front to combat current extremism and terrorism. This rediscovered convergence (following a cold relationship between the two countries) heralded a turning point in the approach to confronting the danger which had developed in the climate of tension following the fall of the Taliban. They decided to close their frontiers to hinder terrorist movement. They also discussed the possibilities of increasing investment in Afghanistan.

On 27 December fate struck hard at the Bhutto family with Benazir’s assassination; this further darkened the tense political situation, which had also seen the return of the two former prime ministers. More significantly, Benazir Bhutto had met President Karzai just an hour before her murder, and had succeeded in gaining his confidence.