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Pakistan is about more than Afghanistan and India

The incoming Biden administration faces many challenges in West/South Asia, but also has an opportunity to strengthen relations with Pakistan, which could deepen peace to the region. The Wilson Center January 21 hosted a one-on-one discussion between Michael Kugelman, the Asia Program Deputy Director, and Moeed Yusuf, the current Pakistani National Security Advisor, on the future of US-Pakistan relations.

Breaking through lenses

According to Yusuf, the United States needs to stop categorizing the relationship with Pakistan through different lenses. Previous administrations have approached Pakistan with a focus on Afghanistan and India, letting those relationships guide US-Pakistan relations. This is neither beneficial nor prudent. Pakistan is a primary actor in countering terrorism in Afghanistan, but Pakistan is also a potentially strong ally economically and geopolitically.

Pakistan has been seen mainly through the prism of Afghanistan. The incoming Biden administration should capitalize on a fresh start. While Afghanistan remains a priority for both Pakistan and the United States, Islamabad and Washington also need to build stronger bilateral relations. Pakistan is able to provide counterterrorism support, but the relationship with the US needs to be expanded far beyond that. There needs to be a bilateral relationship that transcends conflict, various regional other partnerships, and geopolitical dynamics.

Pakistan’s troublesome neighbors

The relationship that the United States has with Pakistan’s neighbors can be a building block with Pakistan, but should not be seen as the core of the relationship.

As the United States continues to combat terrorism in Afghanistan, and more broadly throughout the region, Pakistan should be identified as a key facilitator of peace talks in bringing the relevant actors to the negotiating table, in partnership with the US. Similarly, India remains the priority issue in Pakistan’s foreign policy, but Islamabad wants the US to deal with India and Pakistan separately and on their own merits. If the United States wants a stronger relationship with India, to counter a rising China, there could be repercussions for the relationship with Pakistan.

Beyond business as usual

Business as usual, or a continuation of the policies of the Trump administration, is illogical. The tumultuous relations the United States has had with Pakistan over the last four years are no longer pertinent in today’s vastly different geopolitical environment. Islamabad is prioritizing an economic security paradigm that includes combatting terrorism in neighboring countries as well as internally, enabling Pakistan to engage in new economic opportunities within and beyond its borders. The economic partnerships that Pakistan envisages are rooted in cooperation and investment, rather than aid. Creating long-term development within Pakistan would benefit the United States.  

There are many opportunities for the Biden administration to build stronger relations with Pakistan, but the new approach should recognize that Pakistan is more than a partner in US Afghanistan policy. The prospects of economic growth, geopolitical strategy, and regional peace are just a few of the many factors that the US must consider when building stronger relations with Pakistan.

To watch the event in full, please click here. And here: