By Musavir Hameed Barech
The new US administration under President Donald J. Trump is reshaping the country’s foreign policy, primarily shifting its focus from Europe to Asia Pacific. By ending the Ukraine war, Trump is trying to peel away Moscow from China’s influence. Similarly, by supporting India in the domain of military and diplomacy, creating uncertainty in the region in general and for Pakistan’s relationship with the US in particular.
Most recently, President Trump hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington. The meeting brought into limelight issues related to oil and gas supply from the US, including the export of US military equipment, high tariffs and illegal immigration. Surprisingly, the joint statement from the meeting raised eyebrows among policy makers of Pakistan; The statement called on Pakistan to take action against those responsible for 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks and approved the extradition of Pakistani-origin Chicago businessman and Canadian citizen Tahawwur Rana.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office responded quickly, calling the statement was one-sided and misleading. Pakistan has shown concerns about India’s growing military power and its impact on regional security.
In retrospect, Pakistan has played a crucial role in the global fight against terrorism. According to government, Pakistan has lost 35 trillion rupees and 83 thousand lives including civilian and military personnel. Pakistan continues to bear the brunt of US war against terrorism started back in 2001. The resurgence of a new wave of terrorism has resulted in the daily loss of civilian and military lives. However, these efforts are often not recognized or appreciated.
The US-Pakistan relationship has been complex and often described as transactional. Pakistan and the US have a long history of cooperation. The two countries have worked together on a range of issues, including counterterrorism, military buildup, and trade. The relations were strengthened in the cold war and the Afghan Jihad. Pakistan has also been a key partner in the US efforts to stabilize Afghanistan although they have had significant disagreements on their relations with India and China. The US has been critical of Pakistan’s handling of terrorist groups and consistently alleged that Pakistan is playing a double game, while Pakistan has been frustrated with the US lack of understanding of the country’s security challenges, mainly emerging from India.
Similarly, the Trump administration’s foreign policy approach has created new challenges for Pakistan. The administration’s emphasis on “America First” has led to a more isolationist approach to international relations. This has created uncertainty for countries like Pakistan that rely heavily on international cooperation.
Apparently, Trump’s efforts to end the Ukraine war have also led the US administration to shift its focus from Europe to the Asia Pacific region. To achieve this, Trump aims to distance Moscow from Beijing and provide full support to India in the region. It is noteworthy to mention that during Trump last tenure, US signed three foundation agreements with India which include Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement LEMOA for the utilization of ports for both military and civilian purposes, Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement BECA for sharing satellite information and Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement COMCASA for sophisticated communication technology. Furthermore, the US also has declared India as a net security provider for the Asia-Pacific region.
Intriguingly, it was President Trump who revived the dead horse–Quadrilateral Security Dialogue QUAD in Asia Pacific and making India one of the key partners in this security alliance along with Japan and Australia.
In order to address these challenges, Pakistan needs to develop a more proactive and nuanced approach to its foreign policy. Pakistan must deepen military and nonmilitary partnership with friendly countries like China and Turkey to enhance its military capability and acquire advance military technologies and further efforts are needed to build trust and cooperation with other countries in the region. It must also prioritize its national interests and be willing to take a stand when necessary.
To sum up this debate, the future of Pakistan-US relations remains uncertain, further unexpected initiatives can be expected from the Trump- led US administration as its shift from Europe to Asia-Pacific. Given these developments, the forthcoming four years of Donald Trump are going to be challenging for Pakistan.
– Musavir Hameed Barech is currently serving as Research officer at Balochistan Think Tank Network, Quetta and can be reached at musavirkhan88@gmail.com
