US Could Bring Stability to South Asia - Pakistani President to Sputnik

Addressing the recent boost in United States relations with India, Mamnoon Hussain added that Pakistan does not mind Washington getting closer with other nations, even its long-time rival.

ISLAMABAD (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — Relations with the United States are important to Pakistan, and Islamabad expects Washington to play a constructive role for stability in South Asia, Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain told Sputnik.

“Relations with the United States constitute an important element of Pakistan’s foreign policy. These relations are on a positive trajectory,” Hussain said, adding that both countries acknowledge the “crucial importance” of each other to attain their national objectives.

Pakistan also expects the United States to “play a constructive role for strategic stability and balance in South Asia,” the president said.

Addressing the recent boost in United States relations with India, Hussain stated that Pakistan does not mind Washington getting closer with other nations, even its long-time rival.

Relations between Pakistan and India have been marked by decades of military conflict and a long-standing territorial dispute over the Kashmir region.

“Pakistan is not opposed to improvement in US-India bilateral relations, or US relations with any other country, so long as it does not adversely impact on Pakistan,” he told Sputnik.

The historically positive relations between Pakistan and the United States, close allies during the Cold War, grew more strained amid Washington’s War on Terror. Recent polls from both countries have shown that the majority of US and Pakistani citizens view each other unfavorably.

Islamabad has repeatedly lashed out against US drone strikes against alleged militants in Pakistan, deeming this as counterproductive and stating that such attacks fuel anti-US sentiment in the country.