ISLAMABAD: The cooperation between Pakistan and America for stableAfghanistan and peace in the region was imperative. Therefore, an effectiveand meaningful engagement on the diplomatic front must be revived andbeefed up so that the forces with destructive agenda could be averted toget benefitted from this vacuum and cause further unrest and instability inthe region.
Speakers expressed these views at seminar titled ‘The Implications of NewLow on the Diplomatic Front of Pak-US Relations;, held by SustainableDevelopment policy Institute (SDPI) here on Monday.
Farhatullah Babar, senator Pakistan’s People Party (PPP), was of view thatthe civilian input must be restructured at a greater level to deal withpresent diplomatic crisis. He said that after the Tweet of presidentTrump, Pakistan waved olive branch by taking action against some militantgroups but unfortunately, there was no policy guideline in-place to respondto situation in an organized manner.
He said that our house was surely not in order and we can observe a numberof contradictions in the stance regarding the existence of sanctuaries ofthe militants and terrorists groups within our geographic boundaries. Hesaid that Pakistan can and has survived in the past without American aid soresponding to current diplomatic challenges was crucial not because of butfor the peace and stability in the region.
Ayaz Wazir, senior diplomat, on the occasion emphasized on the need forlooking inward besides reviving the diplomatic engagement with America.However, he said, President Trump, was pushing the sole super power towardsisolation as in international diplomacy, there was no room for suchexpressions.
He said that to win the war in Afghanistan, America has to work withPakistan, where Pakistan has the opportunity to tailor its strategyaccording to its own national interest. He said that both the countriescould remain as ally and thus to work for peaceful solution in Afghanistan.
General (R) Amjad Shoaib, defense Analyst while sharing his views with theaudience said that the peace in Afghanistan was in the larger interest ofPakistan, whereas the US has no interest in peace. He said that Pakistanwas the only country who has the pure interest in peaceful and stableAfghanistan. The process of Afghanistan’s peace negotiations wascontinuously sabotage by the US since the problem begins, and killing ofMullah Akhter Masood was the last nail in coffin of peace talks.
Earlier, Romina Khursheed Alam, MNA PML-N, said that Pakistan was beingmaligned unfairly. She said that Trump administration was turning its blindeyes on state terrorism of India on innocent Kashmiri people, which tellsthe double standard of the current US administration.
Gen (R ) Assad Durrani, also expressed his views on the topic and said thatPakistan should respond to President Trump’s tweet at different levels andshould look towards new regional players and form new alliances.