ISLAMABAD: Pakistan should not seek a strategic relationship with the United States and should instead aspire to a working relationship that is cordial and dynamic and does not curtail sovereignty and national interest, former ambassador Riaz Khokhar said on Monday.

Giving a guest lecture on ‘Improving Pakistan-US Relations: Ways and Means’, organised by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Mr Khokhar explored Pakistan’s relationship with the US in light of the former’s ties with China and the latter’s with India.

Mr Khokhar was posted as Pakistan’s envoy to Dhaka, New Delhi, Washington D.C. and Beijing before becoming foreign secretary in 2002.

He said on Wednesday that India is an important actor influencing the dynamic between Pakistan and the US.

“The US expects India to be a partner in the containment of China and in this regard, Pakistan’s overall endorsement of the Belt and Road Initiative may also be problematic for Washington, so the Western countries have a soft corner for Delhi,” he said.

He added: “That is why India is painted as a responsible nuclear power.”

Discussing rising tensions in India-held Kashmir, Mr Khokhar remarked that mild US statements on Indian atrocities were indicative of where their sympathies lie.

“War is neither an option for India nor for Pakistan, both have nuclear capabilities. Pakistan would like to live in peace and harmony with India. We should engage with India but not beg for a dialogue,” he said, adding: “A dialogue has to be in the interest of both countries. As far as Kashmir is concerned, India has never agreed to third-party mediation, and I doubt they ever will.”

On Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with US President Donald Trump and the situation in India-held Kashmir, Mr Khokhar said Pakistan and the US have been allies and have shed blood together.

He said neither side can easily brush this relationship aside, in spite of Mr Trump’s choice of hard words at times and vacillating approach towards Pakistan.

“My take is that we should not be emotional about our relationship with the US. Pakistan needs to have a working relationship.” he said.

“Every US security document over the past few years identifies China as a major threat for the US, followed by Russia, North Korea and Iran. Pakistan has historic relations with China that go as far back as the 1950s, and neither side should allow anyone to undermine this relation,” he added.

He said the US’ main interest remains Afghanistan, and Pakistan believes that “it has to be an Afghan solution”.

IPRI President retired ambassador Khan Hasham bin Saddique provided a brief historical overview of Pak-US relations and said: “Unfortunately, our relationship with the US has historically suffered due to a lack of trust on both sides.”

He added that current relations are transactional.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2019