Press Release
In-House Meeting
Future of Pakistan-US Relations Under the Biden Administration
February 12, 2021
The Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted an in-house meeting on the Future of Pakistan-US Relations Under the Biden Administration with the research faculty from Institute of Regional Studies (IRS). The meeting was moderated by the Director, Center for Strategic Perspective, Mr. Najam Rafique. Issues such as Pakistan relations with the US, situation in Afghanistan, human rights abuse in Kashmir, US-India relations, and US-China competition were discussed.
The general consensus over the interactive discussion was that US interest in Pakistan, which has mostly been through the lens of security, will diminish. US is not only ending its priority on the War on Terror (WoT), it is also pulling its troops out of Afghanistan, Iraq and the region, and that will diminish Pakistan’s relevance for the US. US-China competition will continue to intensify, and Pakistan might be pressurized by the US to choose sides. Afghanistan will continue to be an important factor in Pakistan-US relations under Biden. In the background of US strategic relationship with India, the Biden administration will move to deepen its ties with the former rather than putting pressure on India with regard to its policies in Indian occupied Kashmir. While there is no chance of regression, there are no chances of progress either in Pakistan-US relations. Pakistan will have to be cautiously optimistic in furtherance of its relations with the US, and it is imperative that Pakistan conducts its foreign policy in a manner in which the US remains engaged with Pakistan.
The meeting was also attended by Director General ISSI, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, President IRS, Ambassador Nadeem Riyaz and Chairman BoG, ISSI, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood.
