In this file photo taken on August 19, 2019, an occupying force personnel patrols on a deserted road of the Lal Chowk area in Srinagar.
PHOTO: AFP
This was stated by former foreign secretary Riaz Khokar while delivering a guest lecture on ‘Improving Pakistan-US Relations: Ways and Means’ at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) on Wednesday.
Having served as Pakistan’s envoy to Bangladesh, India, the United States and China before taking on the mantle as foreign secretary in 2002, Khokhar pointed out that India was an important actor influencing the Pakistan-US dynamics.
“The US expects India to be a partner in the containment of China. In this regard, Pakistan’s overall endorsement of the Belt and Road Initiative may also be problematic for Washington,” he said.
Western countries, he pointed out, have a soft corner for Delhi.
Ex-envoy urges steps to solve Kashmir issue
“This is why India is painted as a responsible nuclear power,” he said.
Discussing the rising tensions in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), the former ambassador remarked that mild-US statements on Indian atrocities were indicative of where their sympathies lie.
“War is neither an option for India nor Pakistan, as both have nuclear capabilities,” he said, adding that Pakistan will like to live in peace and harmony with India.
“We should engage with India but not beg for a dialogue.”
Having served in New Delhi, Khokhar said that India has never agreed to third-party mediation as far as Kashmir is concerned and doubted they ever will.
Talking about Pakistan-US ties, he said that there were more divergences than points of convergence.
“Pakistan should not seek a strategic relationship with the US. Instead, we should aspire for a working relationship, which is cordial and dynamic, and does not curtail our sovereignty and national interest,” he pointed out.
Discussing Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with US President Donald Trump, he strongly held the view that both leaders ‘clicked’ and had chemistry.
He opined that Pakistan and the US have been allies and have shed blood together.
Indian envoy urges trust building before political dialogue
“Neither side can easily brush this relationship aside in spite of President Trump’s choice of harsh words at times and vacillating approach towards Pakistan,” he said.
“My take is that we should not be emotional about our relationship with the US. Pakistan needs to have a working relationship,” he suggested.
The US is a superpower and the only way forward is to have sustained diplomatic dialogue, collaborating in areas where there is convergence such as trade, energy, transport, especially, education, he said.
Pakistan’s relationship with the US, he said, cannot be analysed in isolation since the international order is in flux with China rising phenomenally and Russia reasserting itself while the Middle East is in extreme turmoil.
“Every US security document over the past few years identifies China as a major threat, followed, by Russia, North Korea and Iran,” he said, adding that Pakistan has historic ties with China that date as far back as the 1950s.
This is a solid, iron-clad strategic relationship which neither side should allow anyone to undermine, he stressed.
He added that the US’ main interest remains Afghanistan since there was a realisation in Washington that there is no military solution to the Afghan tangle.
“It has to be an Afghan solution, and how far Pakistan could go towards helping them in resolving it.”
Pakistan summons Indian envoy over LoC ceasefire violations
He said that while the Taliban are now on the negotiating table, Pakistan does not have an overwhelming influence over them nor the ethnic mosaic of Afghan tribes.
“It would not be in Pakistan’s interest to give any guarantees or get involved in the actual terms and conditions of a settlement agreement,” he said, adding that Pakistan is not seeking an Islamabad-made solution to the Afghan problem.
Earlier, while welcoming the speaker, diplomats, senior academics, students and media workers, IPRI President Ambassador (retired) Khan Hasham bin Saddique provided a brief historical overview of Pak-US relations.
He said that despite multiple centres of power emerging around the globe, the US remains the sole superpower given its economic, technological and military power.
‘Unfortunately, our relationship with the US has historically suffered due to a lack of trust on both sides.
The one word which best describes this relationship is ‘transactional,’’ he opined. While pointing out that Pakistan has USD 4 billion trade surplus with the US, Vice Admiral Saddique remarked that ‘our relationship with Washington is generally hyphenated with India and Af-Pak.’
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2019.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ