Daily Times

KARACHI: United States has never been serious about helping Pakistan to become an economically developed country. Even Pakistan’s largest bilateral trading partner, US administration in the past and present had taken no interest in this regard, representatives of business community have maintained.

Flaying US President Trump’s rant against Pakistan the people of the export-oriented industrial sector and traders have said that despite a loss of lives to 70k people and economic loss of more than $100 billion in the war on terror, Trump has never realized the scarifies of Pakistan in its human and economic area. The US never seemed interested in enhancing trade volume which had been hovering around $5 billion from 2012-13.

“We are proud of our armed forces against any external threat and the nation is on one page in this respect”.

All chamber of commerce and industry, industrial and trade associations along with Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association, Surgical Instruments Manufacturing Association Pakistan, All Pakistan Marble Mining Processing Industry and Exporters Association and other industrial and importer trade organizations have asserted that Trumps allegation against Pakistan were meant to safeguard Indian nefarious designs besides it was face saving losing control over Afghanistan.

The nation is not afraid of any threat and we hope that our government will also stand steadfast against Trump’s threats and we will defuse all ill intentions of the US.

Agha Saiddain of tanners, Ghulam Rabbani of yarn and cotton, Sanaullah Khan of onyx and mining, Iftikhar Ali Malik a leading trade leader, Rana Abdul Sattar of ginning sector and others were of the view that the US never took serious notice of India’s anti-Pakistan role not only from inside of Afghanistan but also through enhanced and increased ceasefire violations along Line of Control and Working Boundary.

Repetition of ‘do more’ has never been true in spirit as the US has always been trying to pressurise Pakistan on false claims.

The US should strive to initiate a dialogue with the Taliban in Afghanistan instead of using force as this American act would not benefit to stabilize Afghanistan or end the war. It is strange that the US despite Pakistan as its strong ally in the war against terrorism has always neglected country’s economic difficulties. US sincerity with Pakistan will come when Trump will accept our country’s human and economic loss.

Pakistani has always supplemented necessary supplies and human needs of NATO troops in landlocked Afghanistan. This shows sincere and honest stand of Pakistan to support such forces fighting against the menace of terrorism. United States has no choice but to use Pakistan in such assistance.

Published in Daily Times, December 5th 2017.