New Delhi, Nov 15, : .Pakistan’s decision to join a strategic alliance with China could invite the “wrath” of the US and its allies, as the country’s policymakers predicted during the last week of closed-door briefings to lawmakers on national security issues.The Express Tribune reported.
The members of the Pakistan Parliament were told that the country was manoeuvring to maintain a “balance” in ties with the US and China.
Members of the Pakistan Parliament were informed that Pakistan was trying to keep a balance in its ties with China and the USA.
However, Pakistan’s efforts to seek that balance seem to have not produced the desired results, the report said.The report stated that Pakistan’s attempts to find this balance have not led to the desired results.
The lawmakers were informed that the country’s relationship with the US, Pakistan’s traditional ally, is confronted with further perils in the wake of recent developments, particularly the chaotic exit of the US from Afghanistan, the report said.
According to the report, lawmakers were told that Pakistan’s relationship with America, Pakistan’s long-standing ally, is in danger due to recent developments, including the US’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“The ties with the US at the moment are at the lowest ebb,” an MP quoted a senior figure as saying.An MP quoted a senior figure saying that “The ties with America at the moment are at their lowest ebb.”
Pakistan’s longstanding ties with China have in the past helped Islamabad to act as a bridge between Washington and Beijing, acquiring a somewhat win-win situation.The long-standing relations between Pakistan and China have allowed Islamabad in the past to act as a bridge between Washington, Beijing and other countries.This has resulted in a win-win situation.
But finding itself in an altered geostrategic setup, Pakistan no longer views it as an easy task, the report said.The report stated that Pakistan now sees it as a difficult task due to its altered geostrategic position.
As China inches closer to matching the US on all fronts, there have been visible signs of what observers see as a ‘new cold war’.China is getting closer to the US on every front, but there are visible signs of what observers call a “new cold war”.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan is confronted with the daunting task of sustaining a balance in its alliances.This backdrop presents Pakistan with the daunting task to maintain balance in its alliances.
On one hand, Beijing has stood by Islamabad in difficult times and has emerged as a major investor but on the other, Islamabad also has to take into account Washington’s huge leverage over international financial and other institutions, the report said.The report stated that Beijing has supported Islamabad through difficult times and has emerged a major investor.
However, Islamabad must also consider Washington’s enormous leverage over international financial institutions.
Briefing the lawmakers, the policymakers highlighted that while China has been Pakistan’s long-standing “friend and ally”, the US still holds the key in terms of IMF and FATF.
The policymakers briefed the legislators that, while China has been Pakistan’s friend and ally for many years, the US holds the key to IMF and FATF.Therefore, Pakistan is striving for maintaining a balance.Pakistan is determined to maintain a balance.
According to the Pakistani assessment, the US could tighten the screws on Pakistan through the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other means, the report said.
The report stated that the Pakistani assessment suggested that the US could tighten its grip on Pakistan via the International Monetary Fund, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and other means.
The prospects of any positive development on the Pakistan-US ties are grim.Any positive developments in the relations between Pakistan and America are unlikely.”Sanctions, least likely, coercion through IMF and FATF highly likely,” according to the assessment of Pakistani policymakers.According to Pakistani policymakers, sanctions are unlikely, but coercion via IMF or FATF is highly probable.
The US could also resort to putting curbs on Pakistani exports, it was feared.
It was also feared that the US might put restrictions on Pakistani exports.
The report said Pakistan is already struggling to revive the $6 billion bailout program because of the stringent conditions the global lender wants the country to first fulfil.
According to the report, Pakistan is struggling to revive its $6 billion bailout program due to the strict conditions that the global lender requires it to meet.Similarly, despite the substantive program on the action plan, the FATF has kept Pakistan on the “grey list.”.The FATF also kept Pakistan on its “grey” list, despite the implementation of the action plan.
The policymakers fear that the US Congress could move new legislations penalizing Pakistan for its role in Afghanistan, the report added.According to the report, policymakers are concerned that the US Congress might pass new legislation penalizing Pakistan for its role as a proxy in Afghanistan.
But the US’ priorities have visibly undergone a shift following its withdrawal from Afghanistan and is once again looking to abandon Pakistan.However, the US has shifted its priorities since Afghanistan withdrawal and is now looking to leave Pakistan.
Last month, when US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman visited both Pakistan and India she had said Washington had “no interest” in going back to the days hyphenating India and Pakistan, and that her trip to Islamabad is only for “specific and narrow purpose”.When Wendy Sherman, the US Deputy Secretary-of-State, visited Pakistan and India last month, she said Washington has “no interest in going back to days of hyphenating India or Pakistan” and that her visit to Islamabad was only for a “specific and narrow purpose”.
Sherman, who was speaking at an event in Mumbai during the last day of her two-day visit to India, also said her Pakistan visit was for a “particular set of reasons” and is not meant to once again rebuild a broader relationship with the country.Sherman was speaking at an Indian event in Mumbai on the final day of her two-day trip to India.
She also stated that her Pakistan visit was only for a “particular list of reasons” and was not intended to rebuild a wider relationship with Pakistan.
A western diplomat while speaking on condition of anonymity said some of the statements made by Prime Minister Imran Khan after the US exit from Afghanistan did not help Pakistan’s cause.
While speaking under anonymity, a diplomat from the West stated that some statements made by Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Afghanistan, did not support Pakistan’s cause.It sent the wrong message to the US.It sent the wrong message.There was no need to “putting salt on the wounds,” remarked the diplomat, the report added.
The diplomat added that there was no need for “putting salt on your wounds”.
(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
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