Trump to ask China to put pressure on Pak on terror

The United States may ask China to put pressure on Pakistan to act against Afghan Taliban and other terror groups having sanctuaries inside Islamabad.

The U.S. may carry out strikes in Pakistan as part of its new regional strategy for stabilising Afghanistan, its Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, a day after President Donald Trump announced a change in America’s approach to Pakistan.

The aid being provided to Pakistan, and its status as a non-NATO ally are on the review table but China may view with suspicion any U.S. moves to expand the scope of drone strikes beyond the tribal areas.

As China has economic and strategic interests in Pakistan that involves tens of billions of dollars in investment. The marked shift in Beijing foreign policy is due to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which Chinese officials have described as the flagship for President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road initiative.

China will provide a stronger support than it did the last time when USPakistan tensions deteriorated after the 2011 special forces raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. “Beijing’s interests in Pakistan have shifted markedly in recent years, and Beijing cannot be expected to react the same way that it did in the Abbottabad aftermath.”

For successful implementation of new U.S. South Asia strategy ,U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Pakistan authorities that if Islamabad continue to support Afghan Taliban and other terror groups in Pakistan, then the Trump administration is likely to impose sanctions on them and may carry out air raids inside Pakistan.

China is willing to extend economic support and political protection to Pakistan if U.S. punishes Islamabad with sanctions. But China is also concerned with the security of Chinese nationals and its assets involving ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor. “Demonstrating that China can stick by its closest military and intelligence partner during trying times is a credibility issue that now extends well beyond any bilateral interests,” the article reported.

“Beijing is likely to view with suspicion any US moves to expand the scope of drone strikes beyond the tribal areas. While the US would say that any strikes on militant safe havens have nothing to do with China, Beijing, with its wary eye on the deepening US-India strategic relationship, may not be persuaded.”

“Some things haven’t changed. While it might seem that Beijing would see any deterioration of Islamabad’s ties with Washington as an opportunity to exploit, China has long perceived greater advantage in a robust US-Pakistan relationship. Given Pakistan’s most important role for China has been as a counterbalance to India, it wants Islamabad to benefit from solid US economic and military support, “South China Morning Post reported. –ANI

The U.S. may carry out strikes in Pakistan as part of its new regional strategy for stabilising Afghanistan, its Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, a day after President Trump announced a change in America’s approach to Pakistan