Pakistan: Engagement with US, India significant amid geopolitical scenario

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday said engagement with other countries including India and the United States was important for Pakistan in view of the emerging geopolitical developments.

“An internationally isolated or disengaged Pakistan cannot achieve the goals of development and prosperity,” he said here at an event held at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).

The foreign minister said Pakistan could act as a bridge among international powers.

FM Bhutto emphasised an “informed and humble” foreign policy for Pakistan and said the existing “perceived notion of hyper-nationalism and hyper-patriotism” needed a change in the interest of the people.

He said recently, Pakistan went down on an “unhealthy path” of disconnect with other countries that directly put a negative impact not only on the country’s foreign and strategic policy but also on the economy and lives of average Pakistanis.

“With a political conduct, our foreign policy requires all of us to rethink where we stand in the world today,” he said.

He said the government despite the difficult circumstances was effectively dealing with the challenges at diplomatic, foreign and economic levels to benefit the people of the country.

The foreign minister said Pakistani expatriates were well-positioned in the other countries and had the potential to strengthen relations at the people-to-people level.

He mentioned that the relationship with the US had usually been looked at through the security lens, however, he said, potential existed in strengthening the public domain as well.

“If we engage with other States including the US, we can not only put across our point of view but also provide economic opportunities to our people besides contributing to reduced tension on the world stage,” he said.

FM Bhutto also stressed engagement with China, India, Iran, and Afghanistan amid global geopolitics.

“We need to see these challenges as an opportunity. Engagement is the answer,” he said.

He said the Ukraine-Russia conflict was affecting the world including Pakistan and called the need for promoting economic diplomacy among countries amid the challenges of the pandemic, climate change, and inflation. Pakistani youth, he said, was blessed with intellectual capabilities and stressed the need for creating opportunities for them in all fields of life.