Karachi:
The arrest and extradition of the terrorist of the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) behind the mortal attack of August 26, 2021 against the US marines underlines the importance of the association against terrorism of the United States and Pakistan and could serve as a “construction block” to restore bilateral ties.
In an interview with VOA Deewa Services, Lisa Curtis, senior member and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program in the center for a new American security (CNA), described development as an important step.
“I think this could be a kind of construction component, to restore the relationship between the United States and Pakistan, a very important step, and obviously president [Donald] Trump mentioned it in his statement to the joint session of the United States Congress, “he said.
Curtis referred to the capture of Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar”, for Pakistani agencies that she is accused of making a torment of Abbey Gate at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, who killed 13 US military and approximately 170 Afghan.
President Trump gave the news of the capture of Sharifullah on Tuesday night in a speech against Congress in Capitol Hill. “Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we just stopped the main terrorist responsible for that atrocity,” Trump said.
The president of the United States praised Pakistan for helping with Sharifullah’s arrest. “And I want to thank, especially, the Pakistan government for helping to arrest this monster,” said the president of the United States.
Remembering the tense relations between the United States and Pakistan under President Joe Biden, Lisa Curtis dismissed the statements made by Jon Finer, who served as the main attached national security advisor of Biden, that Pakistan’s weapons program was directed to the United States. Instead, he pointed out that Pakistan’s strategic approach remained in counteracting India due to his history of three wars.
“Pakistan’s strategic programs are driven by the desire to pass the rhythm of India’s programs … with India, he has three wars, so this is the opportunity to restore the relationship between the Trump and Pakistan administration.”
Curtis, who served in the first administration of Donald Trump as senior director of Asia Sur and Central in the National Security Council, suggested that the foreign policy of the United States should recognize the new geopolitical panorama.
She emphasized that “we are in a new era.” Without US troops in Afghanistan, the main concern was strategic competition with China, since it is not of interest in Washington for Islamabad to depend completely on Beijing.
“The main problem is strategic competition with China, and it is not of interest to the United States for Pakistan to depend completely on China. We want Pakistan to have options, alternatives,” he emphasized.
While restoring military aid at the levels observed after September 11, it was unlikely, countries could take advantage of the possible areas of cooperation, particularly in the IT sector, critical minerals and other mutual economic interests.
The main DC Think-Tank fellow calculated that while a formal alliance or a strategic association may not be on the table, fostering a cordial relationship with Pakistan in key mutual benefit areas remains an option. “There are opportunities that [the US and Pakistan] It can cooperate when there is mutual interest in the IT sector, critical minerals. “
Regarding the long data of Pakistan with China, he said that Islamabad was looking for balanced relationships and did not want to depend completely on Beijing.
“They [Islamabad] I would prefer to have a good relationship with the United States, so that again that is for the benefit of the United States, so it certainly does not interest the United States to see Pakistan who knows China totally dependent, “Curtis said.
He added that the United States did not want to see a worsening of Beijing’s historical ties with Islamabad or even a deepening of relationships. “All I say is that the United States does not want to see that China’s relations with Pakistan are worsened or deepened, not so deeply deep where China finds an advanced military position in Pakistan,” he added.
