Militants still see no reason to tremble

Thawing of frozen ties: Trucks carrying oil supplies for Nato forces in Afghanistan, parked at a compound in Karachi, Pakistan, on Friday. Recent days have seen prospects for Pakistani-US relations on the rise again. — EPA

Without brakes, the roller-coaster ride of Pakistan-US relations grows more crowded with each turn.

THEY tried armed attacks, they tried unmanned drones and they even tried international conferences, but US-led efforts against militant groups in South-Central Asia have failed to weaken them. Instead, these groups have been emboldened and probably re-energised.