During his recently concluded visit to India, US President Donald Trump touched upon at least two important points that concern Pakistan. He once again offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir and also repeated old allegations about terrorism by demanding that Pakistan not allow terrorists to use its soil. His tone was conciliatory while talking about Kashmir when he said that both India and Pakistan were working to find a solution to this thorny issue. He also highlighted that he enjoyed good relationship with the prime ministers of India and Pakistan. While praising Modi, President Trump expressed his confidence that Modi would ‘take care of terrorism’. Though the prime minister of Pakistan, in his usual refrain has claimed as success the recognition of Pakistan’s efforts by Trump, we do need a dispassionate take on the trip and its outcomes.
First, the offer to mediate in Kashmir is as staid as it could be. Trump has just tried to resell the old nostrum that has not produced any positive response from his ‘friend’ Modi. In fact it was Modi’s September-2019 visit to the US which came just one month after the unconstitutional and unilateral annexation of the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) into India that cemented Indo-US relations further and Trump issued no condemnation of the annexation and continued lockdown of the Kashmiri people in the valley.
The crux of the matter lies in the other statement in which both Modi and Trump have told Pakistan in unequivocal terms to not allow its soil to be used by terrorists. This must be debunked. Modi and Trump have also asked Islamabad to expeditiously bring to justice those behind the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. Pakistan’s has always said that it had nothing to do with these attacks and all allegations in this regard are baseless and without grounds. This is something that must be reiterated. Pakistan has always been a loyal friend to the US. But we must also reflect on our past efforts to please the US and what benefits such efforts have brought us. If Trump’s statements are any guide, we are just getting more of the same.