Pakistan hints at reassessing US ties

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs says Washington abandons Islamabad when it doesn’t need help

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has signalled that it may reassess its ties with the United States in the wake of recent developments, including closer defence ties between Washington and New Delhi.

“Relations between Pakistan and the US need to be reassessed,” said Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz at a news conference on Thursday.



Speaking against the backdrop of apparent strains in ties between the US and Pakistan as a result of the recent drone strike in Balochistan, the adviser conceded that Washington “abandons us when it doesn’t need our help.”

“This has been happening for the last 60 years. The US approaches Pakistan whenever it needs our help but abandons us when its objectives are achieved,” he said.

His candid admission came just ahead of crucial visit by senior US officials including Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the US National Security Council Dr Peter Lavoy and Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson.



Senior officials will hold talks with Pakistani civil and military authorities today (Friday) to discuss the situation arising out of the May 21 drone strike that killed Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. Talks are expected to be tough as Pakistan will convey its strong concerns over the drone strike as well as the growing defence cooperation between the US and India.

Sartaj said the US had sabotaged the Afghan reconciliation process by killing Mansoor. Pakistan believes the US move was contrary to the decision of four-nation initiative that, according to the adviser, agreed to give peace a chance.

A joint session of the National Assembly standing committees on foreign affairs and defence also on Thursday strongly condemned the US drone strikes. But some opposition members expressed dissatisfaction over the in-camera briefing given by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry and Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Alam Khattak. Pakistan is also upset over the US move to back India’s bid to become member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).



When asked about these developments, Sartaj minced no words stating that Indo-US defence cooperation is a cause of concern for Pakistan.



“We have to see if their defence cooperation disturbs the strategic and conventional balance in the region,” Sartaj said, adding that although Pakistan needs to take care of its own security, other countries must not complicate the situation.

He said Pakistan would convey to the US that its defence cooperation with India must not disturb the peace and stability in the region.

Sartaj said Pakistan’s relevance had not diminished in the region despite the growing ties between the US and India. “We are still relevant as far as Afghanistan is concerned, no one can replace Pakistan’s role,” he argued saying that the US was getting closer to India because of the larger geo-political scenario.

The adviser addressed the news conference in the wake of growing criticism against the government for its failure to protect Pakistan’s vital foreign policy interests. Opposition parties are also critical of the fact that in the face of enormous foreign policy challenges, the country still does not have a full-time foreign minister.

The adviser, however, contested their claim insisting that he had the full authority and power to run the foreign ministry and hence there was no basis of criticism by the opposition parties.

He gave an overview of the three-year performance of the government on the foreign policy front. The adviser said the government was effectively dealing with the emerging challenges including ties with the US, Afghanistan and India.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2016.