Pakistan must voice its concerns before US: senator

ISLAMABAD: Senator Sehar Kamran has spoken on the recent statement made by Senator John McCain asking Pakistan to do more or else the US would rethink its ties with Pakistan.

She said that the US senator’s statement is an indication of a changing US strategy in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region in general and South Asia as a whole.

Senator Kamran stated that this week, US President Donald Trump will meet his national security team to finalise his administration’s strategy for Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. She said that this development does not come as a surprise as previously, US Defence Secretary James Mattis has talked about adopting a “regional approach” to end the Afghan conflict, and these statements by US officials in recent times have been seen and interpreted as putting pressure on Pakistan. As there has also been a talk of increasing drone strikes in Pakistan and of making economic assistance conditional on its performance in the war against terror, she added.

Senator Sehar Kamran said that it is extremely unfortunate that Pakistan’s case is not being represented and fought. She said that the current government’s foreign policy is directionless and in the wake of the possibility of US rethinking its strategy in the region, the government was embroiled in saving itself in the panamagate.

She said that it is alarming that a bipartisan bill seeking to revoke Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO-ally (MNNA) was presented in the Congress ahead of Modi’s visit; she added that with the status of a “major defense partner”, India would be able to procure more defense equipment and technology. She pointed that Pakistan had the opportunity to address its viewpoint during the duration that US formulates its new policy for the region but it has failed to avail it. US will have to take Pakistan’s sensitivities regarding Indian presence in Afghanistan in account, if it wants to take a regional approach to a lasting peace, she added.