PNN – Acknowledging his country’s concern over Washington’s dual approach in discussing cooperation in the South Asian region, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States called for balance in the strategic approach of the United States, as well as the resumption of the sale of American military equipment to Pakistan to fight terrorism.
According to Pakistan News Network’s report from Pakistani media, Masoud Khan, during a speech at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia in Washington, acknowledged Islamabad’s positions regarding the negative consequences of America’s dual approach in the region.
The ambassador of Pakistan, whose country is always worried about the cold war of the United States in the region, especially its disruption regarding the bilateral cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing, demanded the resumption of the military financing program and the sale of military equipment by Washington to effectively fight against terrorism in Pakistan.
He stated that the sharp deviation of the United States towards India leads to a lack of strategic balance in South Asia, which is fraught with serious risks.
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Referring to the importance of Pakistan’s strategic relations and cooperation with China, Masoud Khan added: Our relations with Beijing are never at the expense of Pakistan’s relations with the United States. At the same time, Islamabad tends to play a role as an economic bridge between both the US and China.
Because of its close and strategic relations with Beijing, Islamabad is facing open and hidden pressures from America as China’s rival. Pakistani statesmen are also not happy with Washington’s strategic relations with New Delhi.
Pakistan and India, the two traditional and nuclear rivals of South Asia, have strong relations with China and the United States, respectively, and at the same time as these interactions expand, they flaunt their power to each other.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khordad last year asked the United States not to force Islamabad to make difficult choices that would threaten Pakistan’s interests.
With the escalation of the cold war between Beijing and Washington, Pakistan’s political and military leaders have repeatedly spoken implicitly of Washington’s pressure on Islamabad to reduce relations with Beijing, especially stopping strategic partnerships between the two countries, including the Pakistan-China Joint Economic Corridor (CPEC).
In the meantime, India opposes Beijing’s economic corridor plan with Islamabad due to its political and border differences with China.