Islamabad
\nPakistan needs to put its own house in order, gradually reduce dependence on major powers and negotiate more astutely in order to protect its national interests in a changing world order.
\nThis was stated by leading diplomats, former senior military officers and eminent intellectuals at the National Seminar on \u2018The Future of Pak-US Relations: Challenges & Opportunities\u201d organized by the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS) in Islamabad.
\nEminent speakers included former Foreign Minister Ambassador Inam-ul-Haq, former Foreign Secretary and Director CASS Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, former Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Senator Javed Jabbar, Director CASS for Economic Affairs and National Development Dr Usman W. Chohan and Air Vice Marshal Shahzad Aslam Chaudhry (Retd), senior defence and security analyst.
\nThe eminar was chaired by President CASS Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan (Retd), while Syed Muhammad Ali, Director Nuclear & Strategic Affairs at the Centre delivered the welcome remarks and moderated the event.
\nAmbassador Inam-ul-Haq, while analyzing the emerging geopolitical dynamics & options for Pakistan, stated that Pakistan\u2019s options, amidst accelerating Sino-US strategic competition, depend upon its ability to set its own house in order, by building its economy and improving its governance. He warned that Pakistan would come under pressure from both sides.
\nHe also advised that Pakistan should avoid advocating Afghan Taliban\u2019s case in the world and argued that they have successfully negotiated with the United States in Doha and are capable of doing their diplomacy so Pakistan should let them do it themselves. He further emphasized the need to focus on domestic social issues including population control, education and health.
\nFormer Senator Javed Jabbar discussed the socio-cultural dimension of Pak-US relations and presented an interesting comparison between the US and Pakistani cultures. He stressed the need to significantly increase Pakistan\u2019s very limited cultural outreach to help improve its international image.
\nDr Usman W. Chohan analyzed the future of Pak-US economic relations during which he highlighted the importance of the US as the biggest export market for Pakistan and emphasized the need to improve ease of doing business and bolstering institutions to achieve sustainable growth.
\nHe also recommended expanding Pakistan\u2019s exports in order to reduce economic dependence on international financial institutions, which was increasingly becoming strangulating.
\nAir Vice Marshal Shahzad Aslam Chaudhry (Retd), while reviewing the Pak-US security relations said that Pakistan\u2019s military has relied on a combination of high and medium tech platforms because of the country\u2019s technology dependence on major powers.
\nHe further argued that the US\u2019 technological leadership is driven by its human resource, research, innovation and entrepreneurship, and suggested that Pakistan should neither close doors for anyone, nor devise blocs or celebrate someone else\u2019s victory.
\nAmbassador Jalil Abbas Jilani presented the way forward for Pak-US relations and was of the view that Pakistan was caught in the crossfire between the US-China rivalry and there was a growing fear that it may no longer be able to maintain the neutrality that it had so far carefully maintained.
\nHe identified the evolving geostrategic environment, US-India strategic partnership, Indian lobbying and Pakistan\u2019s close relations with China as key factors that were collectively influencing US policies towards Pakistan. He lauded the growing role and influence of Pakistani diaspora in the United States and cautioned that Indian diaspora was now virtually a part of the US political system.
\nPresident CASS Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan, while delivering the concluding address stated that Pakistan has offered exceptional and unprecedented cooperation to help the US promote its geopolitical and geostrategic interests within South, Central and West Asia.
\nThis cooperation had helped Pakistan develop its infrastructure, equip its military forces and receive financial assistance but it had also affected Pakistan\u2019s internal security, damaged its social fabric, discouraged Foreign Direct Investment and made the country economically and militarily dependent. He hoped that the future Pak-
\nUS relationship would be based on charting a course which respects the values, national interests and aspirations of both nations, facilitates greater trade and economic cooperation and also recognizes Pakistan\u2019s security compulsions.
\nIn addition, he stressed the need to improve the understanding of the political systems and processes of world powers, institutionalization of the negotiation process and giving top priority to the national interests in all international engagements.
\nThe National Seminar was well attended by a large number of diplomats, senior military officers, heads of various think tanks, scholars, journalists and students, who actively participated in the question and answer session.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad Pakistan needs to put its own house in order, gradually reduce dependence on major powers and negotiate more astutely in order to protect its national interests in a changing world order. This was stated by leading diplomats, former senior military officers and eminent intellectuals at the National Seminar on \u2018The Future of Pak-US Relations: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":225692,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-225672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n