ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan expects “tough times” under Donald Trump’s Presidency 2.0 as an internal assessment points to potential hurdles in bilateral relations, sources familiar with the matter told The Express PK Press Club on Sunday.
They said Pakistan’s assessment was based on (a) Trump’s priorities and (b) the number of cabinet members who did not have a positive view of Islamabad. The focus is on Richard Grenell, Trump’s special envoy, for his public statements against Pakistan.
However, other players in key positions within the new administration were also expected to be monitored, according to the sources. “There are no more people in the White House sympathetic to Pakistan,” commented a well-placed source.
While Islamabad is no longer a priority for the United States, the sources said, the Pakistani mission in Washington is struggling to penetrate the corridors of power. Although outgoing US Ambassador Donald Blome painted a rosy picture of bilateral relations during President Biden’s tenure, the sources added that the Pakistani mission had limited access to the outgoing administration.
This can be judged by the fact that President Biden never spoke to any of the Pakistani prime ministers during his four-year term. Likewise, there were no high-level visits from the United States during this period. Even US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has visited the region numerous times, including India, has never made a stopover in Islamabad.
Just weeks before Biden’s term expired, his top aide made a stunning declaration that Pakistan’s long-range missile program posed a threat to the United States. Islamabad categorically rejected the claim and expressed surprise at the US assessment, given that Washington knew that Pakistan’s missile program was solely focused on India.
However, a member of a Washington-based think tank said the US deputy national security adviser’s statement was not surprising as many political circles viewed Pakistan with suspicion.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the think tank member believed that one of the reasons why the United States came to this conclusion was that Pakistan, during the war on terror, had harmed the interests of Washington.
Even though the Biden administration has maintained its relations with Pakistan at a certain level, it has helped Islamabad secure bailout packages from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This cooperation could change, feared Pakistani sources, who believed that the Trump administration might not view Islamabad more favorably.
In this scenario, the potential lifeline for Pakistan could be Saudi Arabia, which has close ties to President-elect Trump. Some sources believe that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman could be the best option for Pakistan if the Trump administration resorts to adverse measures.
