Mian Raza Rabbani, the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, on Sunday, said a nexus between India, US, and Israel has emerged and the US was trying to make India a policeman of the region, The News reported.
“We find the US is trying to use or build up India as a policeman of the region,†said Rabbani while speaking at the six-nation first Speakers in Islamabad. The conference discussed ‘Challenges of terrorism and inter-regional connectivity.’
He said Pakistan wanted a friendly relationship with its neighbors. But the country “will perhaps just be looking at the mirage of peace in the region,” until India is willing to hold discussions on equal terms.
Rabbani’s statement came barely a week after Washington called India a “leading global power” in its National Security Strategy (NSS).
“We welcome India’s emergence as a leading global power and stronger strategic and defense partner. We will seek to increase quadrilateral cooperation with Japan, Australia, and India,†said the document.
“We will expand our defense and security cooperation with India, a Major Defense Partner of the United States, and support India’s growing relationships throughout the region,†the document further noted.
The strategy also pressed Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts and asked the nation to continue demonstrating that it is a responsible steward of its nuclear assets.
The Trump administration wants to develop a strong relationship with India to counter the aggressive stand of China in Asia and ensure a rules-based order in the region.
Earlier, The South Asia Strategy of the US had called for deepening the cooperation with India. Calling India a strategic partner, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had reiterated Washington’s stand during his India visit.
But, it’s clear from their statements that Washington’s approach towards India and Pakistan didn’t go down well with the Pak administration.
Responding to Vice President Mike Pence’s remark that President Donald Trump has put Pakistan on notice, Rabbani said Pakistan didn’t pay attention to any notice from a foreign nation.
“Pakistan does not need to heed any ‘notice’ from a foreign nation,†he said. Sending a strong message to Washington, he added: “We will never sacrifice on our basic rights as a sovereign country.â€
Calling Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel a “blunder of all blunders,” Rabbani noted that the UN had given a befitting reply to the US in the matter.
“What they [US] fail to recognize is that the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will give rise to a new intifada, as the people of Palestine move to achieve their historic rights,†he said.