The United States and Pakistan look to strengthen their wide-ranging ties after President-elect Donald Trump and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif exchanged views on ways to build a “strong working relationship” between the United States and Pakistan during their phone conversation this week.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sharif is sending his special assistant on foreign affairs , Tariq Fatemi, to the United States as part of efforts to establish connections with aides of President-elect Trump.
Pakistan’s Ambassador in Washington Jalil Abbas Jilani has billed Fatemi’s visit as very important in view of a changed post-election scenario. Fatemi will also interact with lawmakers on the Capitol Hill.
A Trump transition team statement has already described the Trump-Sharif conversation as “productive.”
“President-elect Trump also noted that he is looking forward to a lasting and strong personal relationship with Prime Minister Sharif,” it added, signaling Trump’s intent to develop personal understanding with leader of the key South Asian country.
Donald Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton in November 8 vote, will begin his White House term on January 20, 2017, and has been holding conversations with international leaders.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan, Trump saw “tremendous opportunities” in Pakistan, one of the emerging economies with a large workforce and considered critical to peace and stability in Afghanistan and the South Asian region.
The following is the text of the Trump transition team’s press release:
“President-elect Trump and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif spoke today and had a productive conversation about how the United States and Pakistan will have a strong working relationship in the future. President-elect Trump also noted that he is looking forward to a lasting and strong personal relationship with Prime Minister Sharif.”
The news from Islamabad about the the phone conversation between Trump and PM Sharif made headlines in the United States because of its candidness, and also because the president-elect views about Pakistan contrasted with those he expressed in the past .
Trump has also vowed to help Islamabad resolve some of the outstanding problems.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Americans have welcomed Trump’s statement on forging close ties with Islamabad in the years ahead.
In July, Sajid Tarar, a close Trump aide, also addressed the Republican National Convention but some statements by the Trump campaign about Muslims gave rise to anxiety among several communities. Since then, Tarar has sought to build bridges between Pakistani-Americans and the Trump team as well as towards improving relations between the two countries.
This week, Pakistani Foreign Ministry also welcomed Trump’s campaign statement when the Republican candidate said as president he would be willing to play a role to help resolve tensions between India and Pakistan provided both sides desired so.
FEATURED IMAGE above shows Donald Trump speaking at CPAC 2011 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, via Wikimedia Commons
