Foreign policy experts in Pakistan believe that the victory of Donald Trump in the US Presidential election is unlikely to trigger any change in the tough stance adopted by Washington towards Islamabad over the past many years.
Analysts maintain that the US policy towards Pakistan was never based on good personal terms and would not be any different under the incoming Trump administration.
Interestingly, Trump's triumph has been linked to the potential release of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is incarcerated in Rawalpindi jail over multiple cases of corruption and sedition.
On Wednesday, as Trump announced his win in faraway West Palm Beach, celebrations broke out in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) camp with several leaders highlighting Trump's "good personal relations" with party founder Imran Khan.
They insist that the new US President would use his office to influence the Shehbaz Sharif government and force Pakistan to release Khan from jail.
"A myth has been created that Trump had very close personal ties with Imran Khan. This is not true. The fact is that Pakistan did not have good terms with the US when Trump was the president. He wanted to get out of Afghanistan for which he sought help from then Pakistan PM Imran Khan in order to talk to the Taliban," Touqir Hussain, a former ambassador, wrote in Dawn on Thursday.
"It was because of Trump’s desire to leave Afghanistan that Imran Khan was given a visit to Washington and a warm, exceptional public praise from Trump. But once the deal with the Taliban was done, Trump turned his back on Pakistan, leaving no imprints on the relationship," he added.
Analysts opine that Pakistan’s relationship with the US, coupled with Islamabad’s domestic political dynamics, do not fall in the list of high public interest issues for Trump to look into.
"Trump’s policy towards Islamabad would be the same as Joe Biden's, keeping a low-intensity engagement and no stretching relations to the level of high significance or lowering the bar towards sanctions," said one expert.
Last month, more than 60 US Congress members urged US President Joe Biden to indulge in discussions with Islamabad and seek release of PTI's founding chairman.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) termed all speculations on the issue as incorrect.
"President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have congratulated newly elected US President Donald Trump. Pakistan desires strong bilateral relations with the United States. Any speculations about interference in Pakistan’s internal matters are baseless," said FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch during a weekly press briefing in Islamabad.
She mentioned that Pakistan and the United States remain "long standing friends and partners".
Another government source said that linking the release of PTI founder Imran Khan to the result of US elections was nothing but mere supposition.
"Cases against Imran Khan are still under consideration in the courts. His release is a legal matter on the local level. These cases would be considered according to the law, and the government would not accept any dictation from a foreign country on this matter," he said.
On Wednesday, Pakistan PM Sharif congratulated Trump on his US election win, calling it a "historic" victory.
"I look forward to working closely with the incoming administration to further strengthen and broaden the Pakistan-US partnership," he said.
Tripura making significant strides towards rapid development: CM Dr Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that the present state government is committed to delivering good governance to all sections of society, with the state making significant strides towards rapid development.
Wanted NSCN (K-YA) cadre held in Assam by security forces
The army and Assam Rifles in coordination with the Assam Police, apprehended a wanted top cadre of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Khaplang’s Yung Aung faction (NSCN-K-YA) from the state's Charaideo district, officials said on Monday.
PM Modi condemns Germany market attack, advocates brotherhood at CBCI Christmas event
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned attempts to incite violence in society, highlighting that the teachings of Jesus Christ promote love, harmony, and brotherhood.
National Awardee film-maker and 'parallel cinema' doyen Shyam Benegal dies at 90
Shyam Sunder S. Benegal, a multiple National Award winner and among the pioneers of ‘parallel cinema’ – with silver screen classics like “Junoon”, “Ankur”, “Manthan”, “Zubeida” and “The Making of the Mahatma” – passed away after a long battle with a kidney disease, his family said here on Monday.
End of no-detention policy: Students failing final exams in Classes 5, 8 will be retained in same grade
The central government has scrapped the "no-detention policy" in schools. In this regard, the Ministry of Education has issued an official Gazette notification.
Former SC judge V. Ramasubramanian appointed as NHRC Chairperson
After being without a regular designated head for over six months, the Centre on Monday cleared the appointment of retired Supreme Court judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Minister Sushanta Chowdhury chairs 15th meeting of state road safety council
The state road and transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday chaired the 15th meeting of the State Road Safety Council here at Agartala and said that the government is contemplating to ensure zero road accidents through generating more awareness.
Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb slams Congress's dynastic politics
Former Tripura Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha MP, Biplab Kumar Deb, on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party's dynastic politics, accusing it of surrendering power to the communists in the state due to family-based succession.