The Observer claims that President Donald Trump publicly lauded Pakistan in his maiden speech to Congress, praising Islamabad in particular for apprehending the bomber mastermind at Abbey Gate.
Many in Washington were taken aback by Trump’s abrupt change in tone toward Pakistan. According to The Guardian, Trump personally invited Field Marshal Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan’s Army, to a private lunch where the two leaders talked about a new plan for enhancing ties between the US and Pakistan.
The meeting’s main objectives, according to US media sources, were to strengthen counterterrorism collaboration, increase foreign investment, and leverage trade to revive Pakistan’s economy. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was able to get international attention at the same time by being the first world leader to propose President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, a move that was allegedly initially proposed by Field Marshal Munir.
The Observer pointed out that US-Pakistan relations now include discussions over tariffs and trade facilitation, going well beyond military and counterterrorism links. Trump also believes that Pakistan’s natural resources, mineral wealth, and developing cryptocurrency markets have a lot of promise. The Guardian pointed out that it would be challenging to overlook this favorable slant in Washington’s approach to Pakistan under Trump.
A more intimate relationship between Trump and Munir has been growing against this backdrop. However, The Guardian warned that their increasing agreement should not be seen as total agreement because there are still significant disagreements on matters like China and Afghanistan. How these issues are handled will have a significant impact on how their collaboration develops in the future.
The Observer claims that Trump favors leaders that exude authority and wants better economic agreements for the US. He does not want economic growth to be hampered by war. Trump understands the strategic significance of South Asia and is well aware of the threats posed by China and Russia. As of right now, it seems that he may have discovered a partner who might help him reshape the geopolitical order in the area and a counterbalance to India’s Narendra Modi.
