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VOL. 31/33 Friday, August 13, 2021 4 Muharram 1443 AH

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A Lecture Wins Time Stood Still as Iqbal: Poet, For news,

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Continents Visited Pakistan Prognosticator www.PakistanLink.com

NSA Moeed Yusuf Spotlights Pakistan’s Security

Outlook at Washington DC’s US Institute of Peace

n By Elaine Pasquini interests of other countries aligned
better, you would have heard every
Washington, DC: During his single day what is happening in the
weeklong visit to Washington, DC, occupied territory. We are not hear-
Dr Moeed Yusuf, Pakistan’s National ing that… so I think more needs to
Security Advisor and Special Assis- happen there just on humanitarian
tant to the Prime Minister on Na- grounds.”
tional Security and Strategic Policy Regional peace underpins get-
Planning, was interviewed on Au- ting international investors –in-
gust 5 by Richard Olson, former US cluding the US and China, Yusuf
Ambassador to Pakistan and Senior stressed. “That takes me back to
Advisor for the Asia Center at the where I started – peace in Afghani-
United States Institute of Peace. stan is absolutely non-negotiable.
His trip to Washington, DC to We cannot afford instability which
meet with senior Biden administra- is why we are obsessed with help-
tion officials, Yusuf said, was basi- ing everyone find a settlement in
cally a continuation of Pakistan’s Afghanistan.”
engagement with the US that began Presently, creating a friendlier
in May with the US National Se- business environment is one of the
curity Advisor in Geneva. “It was top priorities for the Pakistani lead-
the first physical high-level contact ership, Yusuf stated. “We are one
with the new administration where of the very few countries that have
we discussed how a broad-based recorded a net positive growth dur-
holistic relationship should move ing Covid and now international
forward.” rating agencies are clearly saying…
The two countries’ relationship that Pakistan is moving in the right
would not be issue-based but would direction.”
be focused on substance, Yusuf said. Being the fifth-largest market
“We do not want the relationship Ambassador Richard Olson (left) interviews National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf. “This trip has been good…we have a plan; in the world “we are confident that
on both sides to be from any third we are moving forward; we are on the same side,” said Yusuf we are in a space where Pakistan
lens – Afghanistan, China, India. will be lucrative for more invest-
We should have set goals and time- vision for itself which is a paradigm to a geo-economic strategy which ship with India, Yusuf posited that ment,” he said. “Those American
lines on how we move forward… focused on geo-economics, which leverages Pakistan’s geographic po- Pakistan wants “to live like civilized and multinational companies that
and there is a very concerted effort puts at its core regional connectiv- sition for economic benefit as op- neighbors with India. But the ideol- work in Pakistan make astronomi-
by the US administration to move ity and regional peace.” posed to purely security. ogy that is being espoused in New cally higher profits than their global
forward.” Despite comments heard on Delhi right now…unfortunately is profits.”
As US combat troops have the street “the US and Pakistan are Being the fifth-largest leaving no space for us to move for- Acknowledging that his coun-
mostly withdrawn from Afghani- working together,” Yusuf stated. ward on that.” try has challenges, he added that
stan and the Taliban is gaining “The methodology can be differ- market in the world “we Noting that August 5 was the Pakistan is “working on them very
ground, Yusuf said Pakistan’s posi- ent…but the US has to lead or it are confident that we are two-year anniversary of India’s il- diligently, but the profits and return
tion is that “Peace in Afghanistan is will not go where we want it to. in a space where Pakistan legal actions in Kashmir, Yusuf on equity in Pakistan is higher than
non-negotiable.” Not only have the Of course, the US has to be in the will be lucrative for more pointed out there is international ever before and much higher than
Afghans suffered for decades, but room and Pakistan will continue to law, international humanitarian law the comparable destinations for
also Pakistanis, he added. “The war facilitate this conversation.” But ur- investment,” Yusuf said. and United Nations resolutions. If corporate America.”
next door has spilled over and cre- gency is of utmost importance, he “Those American and the parties “just follow that…we Pakistan’s 70-year partnership
ated serious societal distortions.” stressed. multinational companies will get to a solution,” he argued. with the United States should fo-
Pakistan still hosts over three mil- “We have been extremely dis- that work in Pakistan make “There is every prospect of ment programs and conversations
lion Afghan refugees at a time appointed as a country at the kind moving forward if India is serious in the US on his country’s fast-
when many Western countries have of rhetoric and attitude that has astronomically higher and is willing to create the enabling growing digitization space, large
taken strong nationalistic positions been coming out of Kabul towards profits than their global environment that requires it to re- consumer market and export po-
on refugees. Pakistan,” Yusuf lamented. “No oth- profits.” verse what it has done in Kashmir,” tential, Yusuf said. “This trip has
“We have fought very hard er country has done more and peo- Yusuf said. “Because for Pakistan, been good…we have a plan; we
for the counterterrorism gains in ple in Pakistan feel very disturbed “This is a clear statement by the issue of the disputed territory are moving forward; we are on the
Pakistan and we do not want to lose when this happens. Everyone has to the Pakistani government as to cannot be wished away or relegated same side.”
them under any circumstances,” work together at this point.” where Pakistan wants to go,” Yusuf to secondary importance. These (Elaine Pasquini is a freelance
Yusuf averred. “Most importantly, Ambassador Olson noted that said in response to Olson. “Situated are human beings we are talking journalist. Her reports appear in
protracted conflict in Afghanistan Pakistan’s policy has shifted from at the core is economic security.” about and…if this was happening the Washington Report on Middle
undermines Pakistan’s transformed a traditional geo-political strategy Turning to Pakistan’s relation- anywhere else in the world where East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)

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