President Trump and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have more than broken the ice (and the internet) with their recent telephonic conversation. The transcript released by the PM’s office reveals that the US President-elect quickly took to PM Nawaz Sharif and thought that he was a ‘terrific guy’. According to Mr Trump it felt like he was talking “to a person I have known for a long time” and also went so far as to say that Pakistan was a “fantastic country, fantastic place of fantastic people.”
After eight years of President Obama, drone strikes, nothing but the Haqqanis and Afghanistan on the agenda, there could not have been a better first contact between leaders of the two countries. This is President Donald Trump’s second positive statement for Pakistan, with the first one extending support in mediation between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue, provided both countries consented to his arbitration.
What has been taken by the international media as a sign of Trump’s instability, is an unconventional approach that has found admirers in Pakistan. And while it may be true, that Mr Trump has defied expectations and predications of the media in general, to imply that he should not have been nice to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the seventh largest country in the world by population, is just condescending and mean. In an article published by Time, an Indian writer opined that Trump’s “ill-considered words could have serious regional and global consequences.” While the UK-based Independent has mocked the PM and accused Pakistan of making too much of the phone call. Frankly, if India can tolerate their Prime Minister in a suit pin-striped with his own name, they should maintain an abashed silence, rather than bleating jealously about Pakistan’s sparkling reception by the new President-elect of the United States.
It is important to urge the US government to keep things this friendly, in light of the partnership that both countries have maintained over the years, particularly since the beginning of the war on terror. Pakistan on its part, can remind the US of the sacrifices made on our part, and the strategic significance of Pakistan’s geographical location. Calling Pakistanis ‘fantastic’ and ‘intelligent’ people is a winning strategy to ensure Mr Trump finds fans in our country, and these fans will be hoping to for the same open and generous approach from him in other matters too. Such as the fate of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), whether the US will have a change of heart over selling important military equipment such as the F-16s and the future of the Afghanistan peace process. The US’ growing predisposition to India over Pakistan will also have to be reevaluated if Pakistan is to remain a strong ally.
America has chosen its head of state, and Pakistan’s government should keep things friendly, in the same vein as the first call. And while we wait to see how Mr Trump’s administration will deal with the problem of global terrorism and India, our PM and people should be allowed to have a day in the sun, after being called terrific and fantastic by a terrificly important head of state.