Ties with US under stress: Pak envoy acknowledges

January 25, 2018 14:49

Acknowledging that Pakistan's relationship with the United States is "under stress", the country's envoy in Washington has urged the US not to look at Islamabad with a "very narrow approach" through one lens or the other.

The US has recently suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens.

The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after US President Donald Trump, in a New Year's Day tweet, accused the country of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

"Currently, it (US-Pakistan relationship) is under stress. I must admit," Pakistan's ambassador to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry told a Washington audience this week.

Chaudhry said he believes that this is because in the US, sometimes, Pakistan is looked at from one lens or the other.

"Sometimes we are viewed through the lens of Afghanistan, and since United States is not making progress in Afghanistan, that could actually be up against failure. Perhaps it is through -- because of Pakistan and therefore tendency to view Pakistan in that narrow lens," he said.

He said that sometimes, it is viewed through the lens of China, which is an emerging rival of the US, perhaps Pakistan being close to China is not going to be friendly with the US.

"Sometimes, it is viewed through the lens of India, that India now is a strategic partner for the US and is expected by the US to play a larger role in the Indo-pacific region. And since Pakistan is not on good terms with India, therefore, Pakistan perhaps is not worth to maintain relationships," the Pakistan envoy said.

"It is also viewed purely from a counter-terrorism lens or security lens. I believe this is a very narrow approach to a country the size of Pakistan and the potential of Pakistan," he said in his appearance before the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a top American think-tank. -- Lalit K Jha/PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

In Pictures - Manchester City continue march; Burnley relegated

Manchester City took another decisive step toward an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title with a 4-0 demolition of Fulham.

IPL PIX: KKR outclass MI; storm into play-offs

Kolkata Knight Riders outclassed Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in the rain-hit IPL 2024 match in Kolkata on Saturday.

Wrestling: Aman seals Paris Olympics quota

Aman Sehrawat is the first Indian male wrestler to secure berth for the Paris Olympic Games

Modi will make Amit Shah PM, finish Yogi politically: Kejriwal

A day after his release on interim bail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging he was on a 'One nation, One leader' mission to impose 'dictatorship' by putting all...

Kejriwal holds first roadshow after his release from jail

Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party will not form the government on June 4 and said if the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) comes...