Daily Times

While the United States and Europe have always looked upon South Asia as a wonder region, Pakistan has always attained a favourable location. Situated technically in the middle of the region with a sea at one end while the mountains at the other, Pakistan’s naturally beneficial place in South Asia has also given it a geostrategic location. However, the neighbouring countries of Pakistan do often depend on for their own interests.

Unfortunately, Pakistan’s foreign policy dynamics have never fully capitalised on the country’s location; which could have been used for connecting with regional neighbours and helping it rise as an influential power. The West, for all the wrong reasons, has long browbeaten Pakistan.

Even though Pakistan has been a target of terrorists during the last few decades, the Western community knows for sure that a peaceful and a diplomatically productive Pakistan will bring peace in South Asia. This fact holds ground in the case of Pakistan-Afghanistan ties.

Where the US government of former President Barack Obama termed Afghanistan as an ‘unwinnable war’, Washington knows that peace in Afghanistan cannot come without the support of Islamabad. Looking at the Cold War and especially the Afghan War with the Afghan Mujahideen at one side and the Soviet Union (present-day Russia) at the other, we know the Soviet forces wanted to reach the Arabian Sea and Afghanistan was the route. However, with the US engaged in a proxy war against the Soviet Union, Pakistan was a buffer state, which did it best in neutralising a major conflict between the Afghans and the Soviets. However, the ghosts of the war are still haunting Pakistan and it has paid a far bigger price than it bargained for.

When talking about Pakistan’s geostrategic location, we cannot undermine the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and with it the Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the One Belt One Road or the Silk Road Economic Belt. Pakistan and China, all-weathered friends, have been under the limelight for decades and especially following the CPEC’s initiation. India has been keeping a close eye on CPEC and Pakistan’s closeness with China. India has, in the past, tried to hinder Pak-China ties. Both China and Pakistan now need to be aware of India’s intentions for they cannot let any power interfere in the game-changing plan of CPEC.

Pakistan has a geostrategic location in South Asia where it will use Gwadar Port as a major trade route and a future trade hub. It is still evident that the US will play its cards in South Asia. First, Washington is assisting India in becoming a regional player to overshadow Pak-China unity and second, it has isolated Iran for known reasons so that Tehran cannot influence any of the South Asian nations.

It is yet to be seen how long Iran will remain a silent victim. Third, the US also wants to contain China’s economic and trade influence over South Asia and across the globe. Keeping in mind the future, Pakistan needs to expand and strengthen its ties with China and also with Russia. Pakistan must also bolster its relations with Iran despite what Iran-US ties look like. Pakistan’s foreign policy objectives must encompass reinforcing ties with regional allies to create a bloc of similar interests that can mutually benefit all countries in terms of trade, economics, and diplomacy. This includes a possible union of Pakistan-China-Russia on the foundations of trade, commerce, and industry or converging their diplomatic ties to new heights.

Furthermore, Pakistan must revamp its ties with the United States, because it will always remain an influencing and a dominating power. Regrettably, there were doubts and qualms in US-Pakistan ties in the past and especially following the 9/11 attacks. There was also a dearth of reciprocal interests in economy and trade between the two countries. Pakistan’s foreign policy towards the US must now be based on confidence-building measures and steps to ensure both countries pursue consistent policies on various diplomatic forefronts.

It is yet to be seen how long Iran will remain a silent victim. Third, the US also wants to contain China’s economic and trade influence over South Asia and across the globe

It is high time that Pakistan focuses on augmenting its relations with Afghanistan; and with the help of China counter the Indian presence in Afghanistan. Pakistan needs to take assertive decisions and should direct its own foreign policy, regardless of the intentions of Washington.

Even though President Donald Trump has brought much animosity towards Pakistan, Islamabad must reset its ties with the US with a self-assured approach. Whilst at the same time, it should be cognizant of the interests which the United States is pursuing in South Asia at the expense of Pakistan and its neighbours.

The writer, an independent researcher and an author, is a columnist writing on diverse topics including current geopolitical affairs

Published in Daily Times, October 31^st 2018.