*ISLAMABAD – Tensions with Afghanistan, faltering relations with the US,and chronically poor ties with India. Pakistan today stands isolated,observers say, and bringing it back into the fold is a formidable task forits new premier Imran Khan.*

“We have a very big foreign policy challenge right now. If there is onecountry that needs peace and stability right now, it’s Pakistan,” theformer cricket champion said in his victory speech after last month’selection.

Achieving that is not likely to be easy for the first-time PM and foreignaffairs novice who Saturday took the reins of a country that has beenwidely accused of stoking regional insecurity by backing extremists —claims Islamabad has repeatedly denied.

Ties with the US cooled further in January when President Donald Trumpaccused Pakistan of “lies” and “duplicity” in the war on terror, suspendingmilitary assistance worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Khan has repeatedly blamed Pakistan’s participation in the US-ledanti-terror campaign for the surge in terrorism on home soil over the lastdecade.

Now as premier, in a tone noticeably softer than his earlier anti-UScomments, Khan has said he wants a “balanced relationship” instead of“fighting America’s war” in exchange for aid.

Khan has long advocated a negotiated settlement with Islamist insurgents, acommitment that led to criticism that he is soft on militants and earnedhim the nickname “Taliban Khan”.

If not in Washington, he may find a sympathetic ear in Kabul.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has also been pushing for talks with theTaliban, and offered a new, conditional ceasefire on Sunday.

“Imran Khan is very well positioned in building trust again withAfghanistan,” observed Huma Yusuf, an analyst at the Wilson Center inWashington. “He is seen as a fresh face with a credible voice.”

But given the current freeze with Washington, said Yusuf, Pakistan’s “driftfrom the US camp to the China camp will continue”.