ISLAMABAD - Former Air Chief Air Chief Marshall (Retd) Sohail Amaan on Monday called for pragmatically taking forward ties with the United States instead of resorting to bluster.
He was speaking at a book launching ceremony hosted by the Strategic Vision Institute.
The book titled ‘Pakistan’s Security and the India-US Strategic Partnership: Nuclear Politics and Security Competition’ has been authored by Dr Syed Shahid Hussain Bukhari.
The book evaluates India-US strategic partnership with reference to Pakistan’s security and concludes that a change in the balance of power in India’s favour through this partnership would be perilous for Pakistan’s security. Sohail Amaan said that despite growing cooperation between India and US, a “constructive space” exists for Pakistan, which can be used to its (Pakistan’s) advantage.
He urged Pakistani leaders to utilise the country’s strategic importance and diplomacy for intensifying engagement with US. “Diplomacy is not about annoying anyone and picking up enmity with any country. US is still a super power. We must realise and respect that. It is a tough time. … There is no need to boast about what has happened in Afghanistan,” he maintained. “No point in getting excited about it,” he further said.
In the national context, the former air chief emphasised the need for effective judiciary, strong military, sustainable economy and good human resource.