Nationalist sentiments that led to demonstration are completely justified
KARACHI: Seems like Asians are quick at blindly imitating others, especially when the move makes least sense. Recently, following the military standoff between India and China, an Indian political faction protested against import of Chinese products and demanded a ban on it. Now, traders in Peshawar have demanded a ban on American products as a befitting response to Donald Trump’s Af-Pak policy.
We must understand that trade relations mostly work in a bilateral manner. Cutting ties off with one could eventually result in an export share being cut down by the other country. Also, cutting off trade ties will hinder Pakistan’s faltering, debt-stricken economy even more. An appropriate response would be to state Pakistan’s own rebuttal to the US through its Foreign Office and not by putting a halt to the economic activity and the back channel diplomacy the two engage in.
Nationalist sentiments that led to demonstration are completely justified; however, the response chosen is not good for Pakistan. Given the fact that South Asian countries have a similar lifestyle and cultural patterns, it would not be quite a task for the US to find alternate markets for its products in the region.
Emmad Khaskheli
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2017.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
