On Tuesday, Pakistani National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf criticised American President Joe Biden for failing to speak with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan about the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, despite Pakistan’s critical role in the peace process in the war-torn country.
In an interview with The Financial Times, Yusuf said, “The president of the United States hasn’t spoken to the prime minister of such an important country who the US itself says is make-or-break in some cases, in some ways, in Afghanistan—we struggle to understand the signal, right?” He claimed that United States (US) officials repeatedly assured the Pakistani side that Biden would call Khan but failed to live up to the promise.
In response, the news portal quoted a senior official from the Biden administration saying that a conversation with Khan will be scheduled “when the time is right.” He said, “There are still several world leaders President Biden has not been able to speak with personally yet.”
Dawn reported that the US State Department spokesperson Ned Price acknowledged the “critical” and “well-positioned” role played by Pakistan in Afghanistan. He said the US and other regional powers had sought Pakistan’s help in the Afghan conflict and vowed to work closely with the Pakistani side on the issue. Price added, “If a phone call is a concession, if a security relationship is a concession, Pakistan has options.”
The recent remarks by Yosuf indicate Pakistan’s increasingly flourishing cooperation with China on the Afghan issue. Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister (FM) Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi met in Chengdu, China and promised to take a “joint action” while proposing a five-point plan to resolve the matter.
Meanwhile, the Taliban continues to launch an offensive across Afghanistan as US and NATO troops withdraw from the country. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who is backed by the US government, has accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban. Nevertheless, in the past, the US has relied on Pakistan’s relations with the Taliban to bring them to the negotiating table.
However, US-Pakistan relations started deteriorating under former President Donald Trump, with the US suspending security assistance worth around $2 billion to Pakistan. Moreover, since being appointed President, Biden has given the cold shoulder to calls made by Pakistan to bolster diplomatic ties, thereby scarring their already vulnerable relations.
Pakistan NSA Hits Out at Joe Biden for Not Calling Imran Khan Despite Role in Afghanistan
Pakistani National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf complained that US President Joe Biden is yet to speak with Imran Khan, despite Islamabad playing a critical role in the peace process in Afghanistan.
August 4, 2021
SOURCE: usip.org