ISLAMABAD: Relations between Pakistan and the United States are just like a terrible marriage where divorce is not possible because the cost is too high. The marriage will remain strained but the two countries should avoid levelling allegations against each other in the media.

This was stated by Dr Moeed Yusuf, Associate Vice President Asia Center, United States Institute of Peace, Washington DC, at a lecture, “The Pakistan-US relationship in jeopardy - way forward?” organised by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) here on Monday.

“With the passage of time global alliance structure is becoming clear. The US and Indian partnership is a reality and, similarly, Pakistan-China relations are becoming more visible. However, in today’s world it is not necessary to remain only on one side. So Pakistan can have good relations with both the nations,” he said.

Dr Yusuf said peace in Afghanistan that suited the US was not one that suited Pakistan because Islamabad wanted a lesser role for India in Afghanistan.

Islamabad and Washington should avoid levelling allegations against each other in media, says Dr Moeed Yusuf

“Though both the countries [US and Pakistan] are blaming each other, day-to-day technical cooperation between them continues and they share tons of information over the issues of Al-Qaeda and militant organisations. The US supplies pass from Pakistan and there is a significant cooperation over Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan,” he said.

Giving the example of a balloon, he said when pressure is increased on one side it automatically increases on the other. So Pakistan should ensure that the US would not go against it publicly because when both the parties will desperately try to convince each other, things may go wrong even though both sides do not want it.

The US should also be careful and know to what extent it can go.

He said the anti-Pakistan lobby in Washington had become stronger than ever. Pakistan has been put on a watch list for violation of religious freedom. Pressure will keep coming from the US and in the election year a hard response can go out from Pakistan, he said.

He said both the countries should try to avoid a rupture in their relations and whatever agreements they had entered into should be implemented.

“Though Pakistan’s focus is on sending the one million Afghan refugees back it should understand that it would increase one million anti-Pakistan people in Afghanistan. There is no possibility of reconciliation in coming months so both the countries should make their expectations realistic,” he said.

During the question-answer session, Dr Yusuf said people of Pakistan should not try to link themselves with North Korea.

“Pakistan is the 30th largest economy and has no issue such as that of North Korea.” He said the Obama administration was serious about leaving Afghanistan but at that time Pakistan was of the view that the US should not leave until things got settled.

Dr Yusuf said in Washington everyone was serious about peace in Afghanistan. However, in Pakistan it is claimed that if the US leaves, peace would automatically come to Afghanistan.

Former ambassador Ayaz Wazir said there was a need to see if the US was serious about bringing peace to Afghanistan. ISSI Chairman Khalid Mahmood said the topic of relations between the two countries remained under discussion as it was a new development but he claimed that there was a lack of trust for years.

“On August 21, 2017, the Trump administration announced its South Asia policy followed by a security policy and finally a tweet from Mr Trump. It shows there is a complete lack of trust between the two countries,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2018