Govt seeks early contact with Trump team

Sources say PM eager to engage with US president-elect

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has decided to reach out to Trump's transition team as part of efforts to establish early contact with the incoming administration.

Official sources told The Express Tribune on Sunday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is keen to speak to US President-elect Trump to personally congratulate him and open a direct channel of communication with his administration.

For this purpose, Pakistan's Embassy in Washington will soon request the Trump's transition team for a telephonic conversation with the new US president.

Trump has been speaking to world leaders after his stunning comeback to the White House. He has already talked to various leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

It is a ritual that world leaders telephone the new US president to congratulate him.

However, President Joe Biden broke the tradition and never spoke to any Pakistani prime minister after winning the race for the White House in November 2020.

Trump on the other hand after winning the election in November 2016 spoke to then prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He did not even wait for the formal oath taking to speak to Nawaz although he was critical of Pakistan's role in the fight against terrorism during his election campaign.

Given Trump's unconventional approach, Pakistani officials are hoping that he will not follow Biden's policy and speak to Shehbaz sooner than later. Since his victory, supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan believe that Trump will call Shehbaz to ensure the release of their leader.

The Foreign Office, however, brushed aside such speculations, saying Pakistan expects that the Trump administration would continue to pursue bilateral ties with Pakistan on the basis of "mutual respect and non-interference" in each other's domestic affairs.

Prime Minister Shehbaz has already congratulated Trump over his win and expressed Pakistan's desire to continue working with the US under his administration.

Although Pakistan's relevance to Washington has diminished following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, certain areas for common ground between the two countries still exist.

Trump has outlined his priorities, some of which if implemented can negatively impact Pakistan.

The new US president wants to impose 10 to 20 percent tariffs on all goods destined for his country. The US is Pakistan's largest export destination and any such approach by Trump could make things difficult for Islamabad.

Similarly, Trump's hardline stance towards Iran and China, both Pakistan's key neighbours, may make things difficult for the country. However, some in the official circles feel that Saudi Arabia could rescue Pakistan in case of any trouble with the Trump administration.

Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman enjoy close ties. MBS was one of the first leaders to call Trump after his election victory. Interestingly, the day Trump won and MBS spoke to the new US president, Pakistan's army chief General Syed Asim Munir was in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia, historically, acted as a bridge between Pakistan and the US during difficult times in their relationship. The purpose of Pakistan to seek early engagement with the incoming administration is to ensure that the country's core interests are not hurt due to the change of guards in the White House.