WASHINGTON- Pakistan has asked the US to resume the balancing role that itplayed in South Asia before its “tilt” towards India, saying the move has“emboldened” India and created imbalance in the region. Pakistan’sambassador to the US Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary also said that peace willprevail in South Asia if America assumes the role of a balancedpower-player.

“We are saying to the US administration that the US always brought abalance in SA, but this recent tilt has created an imbalance,” Chaudharywas quoted as saying. “This tilt has also emboldened the Indian governmentto go for a heavy-handed approach…,” he alleged.

Chaudhary said the peace in South Asia will be better served if the USassumes the role of a balanced power-player. Indo-US relationship madegreat strides in 2017, with President Donald Trump keeping his electoralpromise of being the “best friend of India” inside the White House.

India was the only country for which the Trump administration came out witha 100-year plan, an honour not even accorded to America’s top allies. Inhis South Asia Policy unveiled in August, Trump gave India a key role inbringing peace in Afghanistan and for the first time a US president alignedhimself with New Delhi’s position that terrorism emanated from Pakistan.