Over the past few days, much attention has been focused on the U.S. presidential elections, as Donald Trump of the Republican Party and Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party vie for the presidency. The competition was anticipated to be intense. Republican leader Sajid Tarar, with whom I recently spoke, was confident that Trump would emerge victorious. Many Republican leaders echoed this optimism in various talk shows, projecting a strong position for Trump.

Turning to Pakistan, there is significant public interest in how the U.S. election might influence Pakistani politics. I discussed this with Sajid Tarar, who was surprised by the perception among some Pakistanis that a Trump victory could lead to the release of PTI founder Imran Khan. Tarar dismissed this notion, asserting that Trump’s potential win would not affect internal political or judicial matters in Pakistan. While PTI supporters back Trump, PMLN and its allies favour the Democrats. Tarar reiterated that Trump would avoid involvement in Pakistan’s internal affairs but maintained that Pakistan could strengthen its relationship with the U.S. under Trump’s leadership, citing the positive diplomatic relations that existed during his previous tenure.

Tarar urged that Pakistan’s focus should not be on any specific U.S. party but rather on building strong relations with the U.S. as a global power. He asserted that while Trump’s win would not alter Pakistan’s internal political dynamics, it could open avenues for greater trade, enhancing Pakistan’s economic strength.

RANA M.UMER SIDDIQUE,

Islamabad.