Salahuddin Haider
Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington Dr Amjad M Khan told a virtual meeting of English Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP) Friday afternoon that the New Biden administration would like to see India, Pakistan to engage them, which in turn could lead to improvement in beleaguered relations between two nuclear neighbours.
He did cite the public pronouncement from predecessor Donald Trump who in presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan when he visited America for UN General assembly session, and delivered a tremendous speech, spoke about his willingness to mediate on Kashmir if both India and Pakistan agree to it.
Imran Khan readily accepted that offer, but Indian obduracy once again was a spoiler. Nothing could move forward. And things are at stand still today as ever before.
At the outset Dr Khan lauded the role of the English Speaking Union, which its President Aziz Memon emphasized was a world-wide network.
Now According to Dr Khan, Biden did mention Kashmir as a ‘disputed territory’, which experts analysed as new US President dropping a broad hint that he wanted Kashmir solution, when he was quoted as saying that the new administration in America wanted the two major subcontinent neighbours to engage themselves for peace in the region.
His statement, as reported by the Pakistan envoy Friday, was indeed a happy augury, a good omen, but hope would remain a hope till Biden’s words were taken seriously , but Nirender Modi, in his second term as prime minister of India, and his extremist partner RSS, in angry and jealous mood since day one.
If they really agree to come to the table, it would truly be an icebreaker,
On a question from this scribe, for I did not wish Pakistan Observe to go unrepresented, posed a question that Pakistan was in best of relationship with China, and now Russian foreign minister visited Islamabad two days ago.
Russia and Pakistan have been having joint military exercises in northern areas of Pakistan, their troops had been to Pakistan to full that endeavour.
The second part of my question was that many of the American consul generals and senior officers from the US consulate general had been to my house on a regular basis for dinner and chit chat.
Some of these invitees appeared jealous or took China seriously, How did the ambassador interpret this? His answer was vague and ambiguous for it almost left the question unanswered.
His reply was that ‘every country had its foreign policy perceptions, a practice followed world over by major or minor countries.
But he did say that Russian foreign minister had said something good about America, whether verbally or in writing, was not explained.
On Afghanistan he was indeed elaborative, and re-emphasized the policy perceptions repeated stressed by White House or State Department spokesmen that they were keen on a solution of Afghanistan crisis, lingering since long.
Pakistani leadership, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, and foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, had been repeatedly saying that war can never be a solution to dicey questions like Afghanistan, or Kashmir, where despite exchange of letters between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan couple months ago, no headway was reported till date,
The Pakistani Ambassador stressed that American had been helping Pakistan nourish and expand quality education in Pakistan, citing example of American assistance to IBA in Karachi, LUMS in Lahore and Faisalabad Agriculture University.
Work should continue to promote bilateral relationship which had often been victim of hick-ups but then the relations between the two countries remained nice and well. Mr Kalim Farooqui, proposed a vote of thanks.
