ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s relationship with the United States was more of transactional nature and Pakistan miscalculated its strategic relations with the US. The US interests in the past and even today in the South Asian regions totally contradicts with the national interests of Pakistan. The biggest issue of Pakistan’s foreign policy is that we don’t have any foreign policy. Pakistan, mostly, reacts to the events rather proactively pursuing its diplomacy. These were the views expressed by the experts at a special seminar titled United States’ South Asian Policy – Challenges for Pakistan organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Member of National Assembly Dr Shireen M Mazari on the occasion said that we have had very bizarre relationship with the US. “We miss-calculated our relationship with the US as our strategic ally, which proved wrong throughout different historic events such as containment of communism, the Cold War and now containment of China,” she said, adding that all this was not in the interest of Pakistan but of US as its regional interest. MNA Dr Shireen Mazari said building of India as regional power, isolation of Iran and containment of China were the major US interests in South Asian region. “Our national interest did not converge with the interest of the US,” she said. “We need to revise our relationship with the US and should create a space now,” said Dr Shireen Mazari, adding that Pakistan should strengthen its relationship with Iran as well. Lack of policy and lack of confidence had put Pakistan on the back burner, she added. Earlier, Ambassador (r) Abdul Basit, who is also the president of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute on the occasion said mutual distrust, lack of convergence of interest and lack of mutual economic interest were the major contributing factors of poor US-Pakistan relationship history. “Unfortunately, our foreign policy objectives were not pursued robustly,” he said, adding that our house was not working together on foreign policy front. He further said we need to behave as a mature nation rather reacting on the events. Abdul Basit said lack of cohesion and lack of consistent policies were the major reason of poor and ineffective diplomacy. “During the last four years, we have lost our space in the US diplomacy,” he said. US approach and criticism towards China Pakistan Economic Corridor and Belt & Road Initiative was very much a lame excuse, he added. Later, senior analyst Imtiaz Gul said Pakistan’s relationship with the US remained hostage throughout the history with fundamental differences. “Until fundamental changes are sought in our relations with the US, there cannot be a normalisation of this relationship,” he said adding that Pakistan must capitalise its geo-strategic importance and re-define its relationship with the US and India. Major General Hafiz Masroor Ahmed (r) who is also the vice president of the Centre for Global & Strategic Studies said Pakistan should not be compromising its own national interest and continue to strengthen its relation with China and Afghanistan. “The more influence of India in Afghanistan is the more danger for Pakistan,” he said. SDPI Research Uptake & Business Development Director Shakeel Ahmad summed up the discussion and said, “We are living in an era of unpredictability, where sequence of events has changed drastically. South Asia as a region remains at the forefront of the United States’ regional interests and concerns.” Published in Daily Times, March 21st 2018.