Pakistan's faultlines[1]

The country's military is now fighting three wars – but is talking to the Taliban the start of the endgame?[2]

"When we arrive at the endgame, these kinds of things are inevitable." Pakistan's former intelligence chief General Hamid Gul was on a TV talkshow referring to the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a midnight Nato attack along the Pak-Afghan border. General Gul sounded reassuring.[3] He made the endgame sound exciting – it was as if we were already playing in extra time[4] and soon we'd all be able to do high-fives,[5] go home and watch the highlights.

All except the thousands of Pakistanis and many more Afghans who didn't make it to the endgame.

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[1] a problem that may not be obvious, which could cause something to fail

[2] the final stage of a political process

[3] restoring confidence and relieving anxiety

[4] a set period of time that is added to the end of a sports game, etc, if there is no winner at the end of the normal period

[5] an action to celebrate victory or to express happiness in which two people raise one arm each and hit their open hands together