With the new US President-elect Joe Biden coming to power, US policies for the whole world, especially for world peace, democratic values and protection of human rights, are expected to be rationalized. This can be done only after the appointments to key positions have been completed, the form of the new administration will be clear and the thinking and behavior of the new officials will be known. However, the views expressed so far by the US President and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, black Secretary of Defense, General (retd) Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken,reflect at least a positive view of Pakistan. Historically, compared to conservative Republican presidents, enlightened Democrat US leaders have a reputation for having a softer side in favor of Pakistan, Joe Biden has twice visited Pakistan with President Barack Obama when he was vice president. There is a general impression that they are fully aware of the situation in Pakistan and the challenges facing the region, so the Pakistani nation can expect a better demeanor from them.
It is clear that India has long been a key partner of the United States, and under Biden’s presidency there is no prospect of a change in the relationship as a whole, but to curb China’s influence and fight global terrorism, In terms of US Indo-Pacific strategy, South Asia’s most populous country will remain an important ally, but there may be some difficulties in the personal relationship between Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump has refrained from criticizing Modi’s controversial domestic policies, while Biden is accustomed to talking genuinely unwind, his campaign website also criticized the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), calling for the restoration of Kashmiris’ rights, are the two laws that have sparked mass protests in India.
The world is well aware of India’s extremist activities, yet it is turning a blind eye to its own interests. US interests are also linked to India, so the administration of newly elected US President Joe Biden is full of Indians. According to reports, Biden’s administration includes 20 Indians, 17 of whom will be part of the White House complex, while three Indians are members of the National Security Council. It is no secret that the United States is India’s strategic Ally and wants to make India a bigger power than China. This is a fact that has nothing to do with any particular US administration. In this context, the presence of 20 Indians in Biden’s administration could be dangerous for Pakistan. Although the Biden administration has not yet taken any specific steps regarding Pakistan, the influx of Indians in the Biden administration has certainly raised Pakistan’s concerns.
There is no doubt that the Indian foreign lobby is very active against Pakistan. In this regard, President Joe Biden’s administration is clear evidence of Indians, but the basic policy of the United States is based on continuity and sustainability and does not change without the consent of the American establishment. Whoever wins the presidency in the United States, his attitude towards Pakistan will be the same as that decided by the American establishment. At the moment, the US Establishment is concerned about Pakistan because of the CPEC and Pak-China relations and will maintain its presence in Afghanistan to some extent in its interests in the region, so the improvement is that more hopes should not be pinned on from President Joe Biden and instead of being a victim of illusions, it is important to think about how to deal with the Afghan issue while maintaining a balance in our affairs with the United States and China.
The Afghan administration is trying to mislead the new US government at the behest of India that the Taliban have failed to implement the peace agreement, while the US-Taliban agreement was reached after a long process with many ups and downs. The agreement guarantees peace in Afghanistan, and the role of the Taliban in the Afghan peace process must be examined, but the Biden administration must also look at the behavior of the Afghan government, which wants to solo flight. Status quo can protect the power of rulers, but at what cost? Only at the cost of continuing terrorism in Afghanistan can the power of the puppet rulers be maintained. For peace in Afghanistan and the region, the Biden administration must begin the Afghan peace process from where its predecessors left, otherwise the dream of peace in the region will not come true, nor will the United States ever get out of the quagmire.
A change of government in the United States will never diminish the importance of Pakistan. In view of the changing circumstances in Pakistan, the United States is still needed today. However, in this context, not much change in US policies is expected, but Biden’s South Asia policy will be somewhat different from Trump’s. Newly elected US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have also expressed concern over Indian initiatives in Kashmir, and are very much focused on human rights. We want the Biden administration to pay attention to the Kashmir issue as well. If this happens, it will be better not only for us but also for the Kashmiri people. The appointment of two Kashmiris to the Biden administration also conveyed a message that human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir need to be addressed, but we must remember that the United States, despite its unconditional loyalty, has never been able to help Pakistan in difficult times and should not expect more in the future. The Pakistani government should consider every step towards partnership with the United States and take it in the national interest; under this thinking, Pak-US relations will change.
