ISLAMABAD: Senior PML-N leader and President of Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society (PESS) retired Lt Gen Abdul Qayyum has said Pakistan’s relations with China and the United States were not at the expense of one another.

“We believe strong ties with both partners are mutually reinforcing, and we remain committed to ensuring that our cooperation with one does not undermine the trust of the other,” he said while talking to a select group of reporters on Sunday.

He said Pakistan’s relations with the United States have historically followed a roller-coaster trajectory, marked by periods of close cooperation and moments of misunderstanding.

Retired Lt Gen Abdul Qayyum said for decades, Pakistan remained a key US partner, designated as a major non-Nato ally, and had consistently served as a frontline state in the global fight against terrorism.

“Our cooperation was critical in dismantling networks of Al-Qaeda and Daesh, and we continue to bear the heaviest sacrifices as a victim of terrorism, often sponsored from across our borders,” he said.

The PESS president said regrettably, certain international media narratives, often influenced by vested interests, have sought to misrepresent Pakistan’s role, portraying us unfairly as a problem rather than recognising us as part of the solution.

“The reality is that no country has paid a higher price, in lives lost and economic damage, in confronting the menace of terrorism. In this context, Washington’s present posture toward Pakistan, and the visible reset in our bilateral ties, is both timely and welcome,” he said, adding that it carried the potential to enhance regional stability, support counterterrorism cooperation, and create new opportunities for constructive engagement, particularly with regard to Afghanistan.

Retired Lt Gen Abdul Qayyum said for Pakistan, it was a sign that our sacrifices and our strategic importance are once again being acknowledged.

When asked that China was closely watching Pakistan’s engagement with the US and how Beijing will interpret the “reset” in Pak–US relations, he said he had no doubt that China viewed the reset in Pakistan–US relations with confidence and positivity.

“This is because China has always adhered to the principles of peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial engagement. It’s Belt and Road Initiative, including the flagship CPEC project, is rooted in promoting economic interdependence and connecting not only countries but entire continents,” he said.

“China remains fully assured of its ‘all-weather’ friendship with Pakistan, a relationship that has withstood every test of time. Our close ties with Washington, therefore, are not seen in Beijing as a challenge, but rather as an additional source of strength”, he added.

About claims by some analysts that renewed Pakistan–US relations could complicate or even slow down CPEC, the PESS president said: “CPEC is a project very close to our heart, and Pakistan remains fully committed to seeing it through.”

However he said at one stage, the United States expressed reservations about initiatives that could provide China with alternative trade routes toward the Persian Gulf.

“But I believe Washington now better understands the economic and regional development logic behind these projects. For Pakistan, CPEC is not only about connectivity for China, it is fundamentally about Pakistan’s own economic revival, industrial growth, and regional integration,” he added.

Retired Lt Gen Abdul Qayyum went on to say that the international order was no longer defined by unipolar dominance.

“With the remarkable rise of China as a leading economic and strategic power, and with platforms such as the SCO and BRICS gaining strength, the centre of global gravity was steadily moving from West to East,” he added.

Describing the recent defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as a landmark development and a timely, strategic, and mutually beneficial move, he said it not only reflected the maturity of bilateral ties between the two countries but also set a new direction for security cooperation in the Muslim world.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2025