Omiamah Khan
United States is currently facing a challenge to maintain its foreign policy balance in South Asia. The idea of squeezing Pakistan from India’s lens is not a good strategic approach. The United States have imposed multiple sanctions in recent years under Iran, North Korea, Syria non-proliferation act (INKSNA) and recently under executive order 13382, blocking property of weapons of mass destruction, proliferators and their supporters.
Pakistan is used to these tactics and dubs it as biased and unfair. However, the impositions of these sanctions are a clear sign that United States once a strong ally of Pakistan is eroding its influence over long standing developed bilateral ties.
However, in the longer term US-Pakistan the feeble ties will be unfavourable for the Washington in the region. The carrot and the stick policy will not work this time in the international relations. Pakistan will view these sanction as a threat to its sovereignty and unlevel playing field. However, the only craft that will work is the policy of engagement and trade off. In the name of curbing the proliferation the United States is leveraging Pakistan in to its Asia-Pacific strategy to contain China.
This strategy will not be leaned into as an effective blue-print and at some point the other United States partners in the South Asian region may opt for an unaligned approach from Washington to curb its regional isolation and economic growth.
It is significant to understand that in response of Pakistan’s nuclear test the Glenn amendment sanctions imposed by United States in 1998 were adjusted in lieu of Counter terrorism cooperation post 9/11. The policy makers at Washington D.C. from the outset are aware about the Pakistan’s strategic conundrum and the strategic capabilities it possess.
These sanctions are not new for Islamabad and the policy maker are equipped with the necessary understanding to effectively administer it. Conversely, the Washington is headed in a very different and old fashioned direction. It is imperative to recognise that the mediation process and engagement that Pakistan can establish in the region none other country can bring that for the State department.
Hence, it’s high time that incoming administration must reassess on past adversarial dynamics and acknowledge Pakistan’s long-standing contributions, including its role in the recent years.
The writer is the Head of South Asia Peace and Development Program Institute of Regional Studies
