Pakistan has in the recent past entered the China orbit, while being pushed away from its traditional ally – the US. Following the haphazard exit of the US forces from Afghanistan, the relationship between Islamabad and Washington has been further severed. America’s 46th President Joe Biden is yet to make that call to Prime Minister Imran Khan. With a lack of formal engagements, Islamabad’s faith hangs on the edge, posing a challenge for this country. These were the sentiments echoed by policymakers in the recently held closed-door briefing on national security issues. Some lawmakers also termed Islamabad’s pivot to Beijing an invitation to the “wrath of the US and its allies”.
And there is a cause of concern. While China has made huge investments in this country with the $62 billion CPEC projects nearing completion, the US still has a huge leverage over international financial and other institutions, such as the IMF and the FATF. Pakistan’s economic situation is gravely tied with the possible revival of the $6 billion IMF programme, especially considering the steep fall of the rupee against the dollar. On Friday, the rupee closed at an all-time low of 175.73. Moreover, despite Islamabad’s implementation of 26 action points out of the 27, agreed under the June 2018 plan, Pakistan is still under the FATF grey-list. Policymakers have also called this a deliberate move by Washington and its allies to maintain pressure on Islamabad, especially considering its strategic position in the region.
The reality is that it is this ‘carrot-and-stick’ policy by the US along with Washington’s tilt towards New Delhi – Pakistan’s arch rival – that has been the reason behind Islamabad inadvertently moving into China’s orbit. Following the USSR invasion and the War on Terror, Islamabad has only been seen by the US through the Afghan prism. This is despite this country’s numerous efforts to strengthen its strategic relations with Washington.
Today, Pakistan is a key stakeholder in the region along with China and Russia. Holding on to its post-colonial ego and giving way to an era of ‘new Cold War’ is not going to do the US any favours. While Islamabad does need to strike a balance between Beijing and Washington, the latter too has to realise Pakistan’s strategic role in the global chessboard.
