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| Washington reluctant to cooperate with Pakistan despite efforts: Foreign Policy |
| 2025-03-15 |
And so they should be. [KhaamaPress] Following the surrender of an ISIS member to the United States and President Donald Trump’s praise for Pakistan, Islamabad has become hopeful about renewed cooperation with Washington. However, this move is unlikely to quickly lead to a warmer relationship between the two countries.Michael Kugelman, a prominent Southeast Asia expert, wrote on Wednesday in Foreign Policy that the relationship between the U.S. and India, alongside Pakistan’s alliance with China, and differing priorities make it less likely for the U.S. to seek deeper cooperation with Pakistan. The article noted that recent cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan would not lead to a strategic partnership. After the U.S. attack on Afghanistan, relations and financial aid to Pakistan were increased due to Islamabad’s role in capturing al-Qaeda members and its strategic importance as a transit route for U.S. forces. However, with the end of the war on terrorism and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan no longer holds a defined place in U.S. foreign policy. Islamabad is now attempting to redefine its position by cooperating with the U.S. to combat ISIS. The U.S. sees cross-border attacks by ISIS-Khorasan as a security threat to itself and other nations. President Trump, in a joint speech in Congress on March 4, surprised many by thanking Pakistan for helping capture Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of ISIS-Khorasan, who is accused of playing a major role in the 2021 Kabul airport attack. Despite recent efforts by Pakistan to work with the U.S., the seven-year suspension of U.S. security aid and reduced strategic focus on Pakistan since the U.S. exit from Afghanistan have limited the potential for bilateral cooperation. The U.S. and Pakistan may still find some areas for collaboration, especially through the existing counterterrorism dialogues and intelligence sharing on groups like ISIS-Khorasan, TTP, and the Baloch Liberation Army. However, the deepening of U.S.-Pakistan security ties is limited by Pakistan’s alignment with China and its focus on TTP, which operates in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, creating a complex situation where cooperation on ISIS-Khorasan may not be enough to overcome broader geopolitical challenges. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |