*ISLAMABAD:* Pakistan’s relationship with the United States was more oftransactional nature and Pakistan miscalculated its strategic relationswith the US. The US interests in the past and even today in the South Asianregions totally contradicts with the national interests of Pakistan. Thebiggest issue of Pakistan’s foreign policy is that we don’t have anyforeign policy. Pakistan, mostly, reacts to the events rather proactivelypursuing its diplomacy. These were the views expressed by the experts at aspecial seminar titled United States’ South Asian Policy – Challenges forPakistan organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Member of National Assembly Dr Shireen M Mazari onthe occasion said that we have had very bizarre relationship with the US.

“We miss-calculated our relationship with the US as our strategic ally,which proved wrong throughout different historic events such as containmentof communism, the Cold War and now containment of China,” she said, addingthat all this was not in the interest of Pakistan but of US as its regionalinterest.

MNA Dr Shireen Mazari said building of India as regional power, isolationof Iran and containment of China were the major US interests in South Asianregion. “Our national interest did not converge with the interest of theUS,” she said.

“We need to revise our relationship with the US and should create a spacenow,” said Dr Shireen Mazari, adding that Pakistan should strengthen itsrelationship with Iran as well. Lack of policy and lack of confidence hadput Pakistan on the back burner, she added.

Earlier, Ambassador (r) Abdul Basit, who is also the president of theIslamabad Policy Research Institute on the occasion said mutual distrust,lack of convergence of interest and lack of mutual economic interest werethe major contributing factors of poor US-Pakistan relationship history.“Unfortunately, our foreign policy objectives were not pursued robustly,”he said, adding that our house was not working together on foreign policyfront. He further said we need to behave as a mature nation rather reactingon the events.

Abdul Basit said lack of cohesion and lack of consistent policies were themajor reason of poor and ineffective diplomacy. “During the last fouryears, we have lost our space in the US diplomacy,” he said. US approachand criticism towards China Pakistan Economic Corridor and Belt & RoadInitiative was very much a lame excuse, he added.

Later, senior analyst Imtiaz Gul said Pakistan’s relationship with the USremained hostage throughout the history with fundamental differences.“Until fundamental changes are sought in our relations with the US, therecannot be a normalisation of this relationship,” he said adding thatPakistan must capitalise its geo-strategic importance and re-define itsrelationship with the US and India.

Major General Hafiz Masroor Ahmed (r) who is also the vice president of theCentre for Global & Strategic Studies said Pakistan should not becompromising its own national interest and continue to strengthen itsrelation with China and Afghanistan. “The more influence of India inAfghanistan is the more danger for Pakistan,” he said.

SDPI Research Uptake & Business Development Director Shakeel Ahmad summedup the discussion and said, “We are living in an era of unpredictability,where sequence of events has changed drastically. South Asia as a regionremains at the forefront of the United States’ regional interests andconcerns.”