Trump’s statement prompted Pak-Russian relations : Dr. Agnieszka

Lahore : Prof Dr Agnieszka Ciszewska, an expert on South Asia especially India and Pakistan, has said that one of the reasons behind Trump’s statement is to counter Pakistan Russia growing relations and Russia’s influence in the region.

She said that this is not for the first time that eyebrows were raised due to the statements from the USA and current American president.

She was addressing a seminar organized by Punjab University Pakistan Study Centre on “President Trump’s Policy in South Asia: The impact on Pakistan.”

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Kuszewska and Dr. Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska from Institute of Social Sciences, University of Social Sciences & Humanities, Warsaw, Poland were guest speakers on the occasion.

Pakistan Study Centre Acting Director Dr. Amjad Abbas Magsi, Prof Dr Aqdas Ali Kazmi, Dr Ahmed Ejaz, faculty members and a number of students were present on the occasion.

She added that Trump’s policy is a hard power policy, based on realism to strengthen its strategic presence in the region. Pakistan will remain a significant ally of the USA whatever the statement given by American leaders. Pakistan-USA relations deteriorated since 2011 after Osama Bin Laden incident.

She concluded by saying that Pakistan should adopt its policy in accordance with contemporary geopolitical dynamics. One should not rely on only one ally, international polity.

Dr. Agnieszka Nitza- Makowska, an expert of International Relations, in her key note speech focused on “The Dynamics of Contemporary International-Relations: The CPEC and Brexit”. The CPEC in the long run will influence Pakistan-EU bilateral cooperation. Their relations are economically oriented rather than strategic one.

The GSP plus gives Pakistan almost duty free access to EU market. From Pakistan’s perspective economy and cooperation with the EU would be the most productive in infrastructure, energy production and in the sectors of communication, metallurgy and irrigation etc.

However, the EU may miss the opportunities provided by the CPEC as it remains challenged by Brexit. London, due to its ties with Islamabad, may appear more attractive partner to Pakistan than the EU.

She said that from Pakistan’s economic perspective, cooperation with the EU would be the most productive in infrastructure, energy production and in the sectors of communication, metallurgy, irrigation etc.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Magsi said that President Trump’s comment had raised a lot of concerns in the minds of all walks of life in Pakistan. He said that it was a shared viewpoint in Pakistan that US had not fully judged the position of Pakistan in its struggle in war on terrorism.

He said that Pakistan had suffered a great loss of lives and properties in sustaining its principal stance in that war. He said that the US should not disturb the balance of power in the South Asian region by giving India a preferential treatment specially in Afghanistan.