SPECIAL Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi, who had a comprehensive interaction with key members of the new US administration, has expressed satisfaction over the positive response he received from his interlocutors in Washington.
In line with the focus of the present Government on fostering economic linkages with different countries, Fatemi briefed officials and opinion-makers about trade and investment policies of Pakistan, emphasizing that increased economic cooperation between Pakistan and the United States will not only benefit the businesses of both countries but will have a positive impact on the economy of the region as well.
Highlighting the strategic significance of Pakistan, he urged the United States to view the country independently rather than through any foreign or regional lens.
He emphasized that the Pakistan Government was looking forward to engaging with the Trump Administration on areas of mutual benefit to further strengthen bilateral relations.
This was first direct engagement of a high level official of Pakistan with the Trump Administration and the visit comes in the backdrop of the goodwill generated by the fruitful cooperation of Pakistan in the arrest of an Afghan national, allegedly involved in planning the deadly August 2021 bombing at Kabul airport, prompting President Trump and other senior officials to praise publicly Pakistan’s positive role in the war against terror.
The visit of Fatemi was apparently aimed at building upon the positive gestures and the outcome of the visit must be encouraging for Islamabad.
According to him, he had very good response both from the State Department and at Capitol Hill– the meetings were productive.
As Fatemi was visiting the United States, the media published the contents of a report by a number of US intelligence agencies cautioning that the Afghan-based TTP terrorists pose future threat to the United States.
Hopefully, this acknowledgement will form the basis for a meaningful cooperation to take the ongoing fight of Pakistan against this and other terrorist outfits.
Fatemi sensitized relevant American officials that TTP and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan were directly to be blamed for a surge in terrorist incidents in Pakistan and that the sophisticated weapons left behind the departing American troops are being used in terrorist activities.
Woes of Pakistan would mitigate to some extent if the Trump Administration fulfils its pledge of retrieving these weapons from Afghanistan.
It is widely believed that the United States is sensitive to Pakistani moves to forge multi-dimensional ties with China and this is the reason behind American criticism of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative.
The Special Assistant underscores that China continues to be an important development and strategic partner of Pakistan but added that the country can also have good relations with the United States.
In fact, Pakistan cannot afford to ignore the United States as it is a critical trading partner and an important source of foreign exchange (home remittances by overseas Pakistanis).
It is with this in view that Pakistan has all along been pleading for closer economic cooperation with the United States.
At a time, when Pakistan was diversifying and liberalizing its economy, there is immense scope for attracting American investment in different sectors of Pakistan’s economy, especially in Pakistan’s textile industry, infrastructure and human capital development and it is for the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to explore such possibilities and create congenial atmosphere for the purpose.
The visit also assumed importance as attempts were being made by members of a political party to create fissures in Pak-US relations inviting the new administration to interfere in the internal political affairs of the country.
No doubt, the visit of Fatemi has produced desired results but it is more important that the Special Assistant, based on his interaction and assessment, presents a comprehensive report to the Prime Minister, also detailing recommendations for broadening cooperation with the United States not just on counter-terrorism but also on trade and investment.
