A marriage of convenience

Mazahir Hussain Zair, pakistantoday.com.pk

Image  (not from article) from, with caption: "Donald Trump Was Born in Pakistan – Watch Amazing Report of Pakistani Media>"

Excerpt:

[W]e must recognise that there is now a tactical and strategic divergence between Pakistan and the US. To protect and promote our interests in this environment will require a radical departure from our current policies that are mainly based on self-deception and platitudes Pak US relations are always influenced by the US South Asian Policy. Starting from the era of the Cold War when the US needed Pakistan to play a role against the spread of communism it stood with Pakistan by providing it with military and economic support. And when US interests diverged with Pakistan it adopted a different approach.

And yet, under President Trump, the strained ties with the US will become an even more challenging relationship as Muslims in the US a fair share of whom are Pakistani or of Pakistani origin come under threat.

American interests in our region range from stemming the political military and economic expansion of China and Russia up to closely watching Iran Pakistan and CARs for different reasons Pakistan and the United States have undergone various stages of ties from security and military to economic and hard-core diplomacy the only ties having lasting impact are established through public diplomacy and not through huge sums of money in military assistance or state welfare projects. The US is Pakistan’s number one exports destination and the number one supplier of high tech weaponry. The US helps underwrite the international financial system’s support for Pakistan’s ambitions as a growing economy. The US is going to be a partner in the war against Daesh.

It is for these reasons that, despite our strained ties, Islamabad must strive to improve relations while not compromising on Pakistan’s position in the region and the international community. The US may have a longstanding and great history but Pakistan in its own right is an important country that may not be taken lightly. Cooperative rather than adversarial relationship is likely to produce win-win situation for Pakistan, US, the region and the world. ...