Daily Times

In the current US Elections, Democrat candidate, Joe Biden is on the verge of victory. A US Presidential candidate needs 270 electoral votes to be the President and guest of the White House. So far, Democrat candidate, Joe Biden has got 264 electoral votes while Republican candidate, the incumbent American President Donald Trump is struggling at 214. Form Michigan, 16 electoral votes gotten by Joe Biden have tallied his number to 264. Thus, he needs 6 more electoral votes to walk into the White House while he is taking a lead in 17 electoral colleges. He is taking a lead in Arizona while his contender, Donald Trump is ahead in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alaska,

According to the US media, the Democrats have taken a lead in Arizona from where Trump won in 2016. Trump has also gained 18 electoral votes from Ohio and 38 from Texas. A Presidential candidate needs to gain 270 electoral votes out of 538.

Donald Trump has announced to go in the US Supreme Court as he has rejected ongoing election count. Last time, the controversy on US elections was settled in the Supreme Court in 2000 when Al Gore, challenging Bush’s victory in the Supreme Court, called for total vote recount in the whole country. But the Court got the vote recounted only in Florida where Bush stood victorious. Anyhow, by the time of publication of these lines, US election results may be finalized and the world will know who is going to rule America: Donald Trump or Joe Biden?

Like the rest of the world, Pakistanis are also taking keen interest in US elections because America is the sole super power of the world. Every country wants to establish or strengthen its relations with America to have better position in the world and overcome any difficulty on international level.

As far as Pak-US relations are concerned, they have waxed and waned with so many ifs and buts since their inception. In the 60’s when America needed a gateway to approach China and establish relations, it resorted to Pakistan. The then US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, with the help of Pakistan, made a clandestine visit to China, but when US had established good relations with the emerging power of the world, it, as usual, gave Pakistan the cold shoulder. Again it needed Pakistan for Afghan War. During those eleven years, Pak-US relations were at their prime. But in the subsequent democratic rules in Pakistan, India was seen in the good books of America.

During Musharraf era, Pak-US relations were once again revamped because America needed Pakistan in its war on terror. By then, Pakistani dependence on America had lost steam. US relations are not first preference of Pakistan, nor they should be, as China, the neighboring country of Pakistan, has become an economic power. Pakistan has historically very good relations with China. They, with the launch of OBOR (One Belt One Road) Project have scaled new heights. China has started multibillion projects under CPEC, a significant part of OBOR; Gwadar Port has become operational. American is annoyed at this project. It frequently bullies Pakistan to get away from this project or often it conspires to throw a spanner in it.

Under Trump Administration, Pak-US relations couldn’t augment, rather Trump made Modi an apple of his eyes. Trump promised to intercede on Kashmir but practically he broke no ice. Instead, he inked BECA (The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) with India. It will enable India to have geo-spatial information: classified info through satellite. India has already satellite system for information but it is not fully functional nor is it so accurate. By contracting such agreements with India, Trump has strengthened the impression that the incumbent US Administration is exclusively hostile to Pakistan.

Besides political elite, military top brass has also played an important role in knitting close ties with China. This friendship annoys India, that’s why; it has opposed CPEC, and despite Chinese offer, it has always refused to be its part.

In the future, Pakistani governments should establish relations with America but not at the expense of Chinese time-tested friendship so that Pakistan could vie with India which, at present, considers BECA a feather in its cap.