Resetting ties with the US
Pakistan and the US have reiterated their strategic alignment, and resolved to work together on counter-terrorism and regional stability in South Asia. The pledge came as Army Chief General Asim Munir was on a week-long visit to Washington and New York, and also air-dashed to Tampa, Florida, to meet his counterparts in the Centcom Headquarters. The State Department unequivocally underscored the centrality of Pakistan to the US as a major ally and partner, and hinted at upgrading ties in times to come on defence cooperation. Islamabad and Washington for decades have played a pivotal role in ensuring peace and security in the war-torn West Asian state of Afghanistan, and this has attained greater importance in the backdrop of the US exit from Kabul in August 2021. This is why Gen Munir and officials at the Pentagon were on the same page in furthering security and ensuring that non-state actors do not come to play foul.
The visit has come at a time when Palestine and Kashmir issues are at the centre stage, and the army chief minced no words in highlighting them. In his meeting with the UN Secretary-General, he stressed the need for a durable solution in the Mideast on the premise of ‘Two-State Solution’, and reminded the world body chief that India by scrapping the special status of occupied Kashmir had jeopardised regional security. Brokering an instant ceasefire in Gaza was also on the cards as both the leaders urged the world that silence is not an option in one of the volatile regions of the world, especially when a nation is on the verge of extinction.
The Army chief was spectacular as he led from the front in calling upon the diaspora to invest in Pakistan, and assured that under the newly-established SIFC, there is “complete security”. This charm offensive went very well as prominent businessmen and investors reportedly promised to further the mosaic of interaction. Promoting bilateral trade and cooperating in technology transfer was choreographed to new heights.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2023.
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