Pakistan, May 31 -- There are no full stops in geopolitics, only commas. And, so it is with Pakistan's decision to elevate its diplomatic mission in Kabul to the ambassadorial level. After months of cross-border tension and Islamabad's repeated calls for action against the banned TTP, the government is now opting for engagement over estrangement.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced this shift in the wake of a "very productive" April visit to Kabul. Nonetheless, it would be practical to read this move as what it is: not a political endorsement of the Taliban regime but an act of realpolitik under duress.

For decades, Pakistan pursued strategic depth in Afghanistan; a gamble that has not paid off. Ergo, sooner or later, there was little ...