The US State Department spokesman’s reaction to the Pakistan Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar’s statement that Pakistan had no wish to engage in any rivalry between the USA and China was that the USA did not ask any country to choose between it and another country, particularly China. This follows on previous statements by the USA that it was not forcing any choices. It seems that this should be taken at face value by Pakistan, and it should not go around picking one over the other when neither is asking it to do so. The USA has tried to use India as a counterweight to China, and has grown closer to it. That has created the impression that Pakistan has been repelled, and has been using its already close relationship with China, with the result that it has been drawing away from the USA.
There are some factors which have been duly removed. Perhaps the most important spoiler in the Pak-US relationship in recent times was PTI chief Imran Khan’s claim that his government was removed as the result of a US conspiracy in collusion with the opposition and facilitators within the establishment. At the same time, China looked dimly upon the apparent foot-dragging by the PTI government over the flagship CPEC. Incidentally, even before the PTI took office, the USA had been warning Pakistan against CPEC. The USA also recently used the IMF to convey its resentment, but it is its agreement in the end that helped Pakistan strike a deal over a standby agreement.
Pakistan is not beyond going against US dictates. Its failure to support the USA over Ukraine obviously rankles, but it has not supported Russia either. As it attempts to build ties with a country it has neglected to its cost, it has also been supportive of China, but there are a host of issues on which Pakistan and the USA are in agreement. Pakistan should adopt its own form of isolationism, in which it follows its best interests, and most importantly, does its best to stay above the fray in any US-China clash. There is no need to take sides, especially when no one is asking that sides be taken. Neither side must take Pakistani support for granted, and must be accorded it on an issue-to-issue basis. The USA must also understand that its growing closeness to India cannot leave its relations with Pakistan unaffected.
