Pakistan's economic future depends on its ties with India: US

[IndoCarib]

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's economic future will mainly depend on its peaceful relationship with India, US Deputy Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter said here today.

"We (India and the US) talked about Pakistan and Afghanistan. There is new government in Islamabad and one thing I learnt there (in Pakistan) it gives high priority to economic development. Fundamentally, Pakistan's future economically depends on its peaceful relations with India," he said.

The American defence official was asked if the situation in Af-Pak region was discussed during his talks with Indian officials and whether concern was voiced over Islamabad's failure to deliver on the terrorism front.

He said Pakistan faced major security threat from within in the form of terrorism and it did not have any security issues from its neighbours.

Carter said Pakistan also had a major role to play in Afghanistan's internal security and stability which would also help it economically by providing trade routes to the Central Asian region.

On whether the recent friction on the Line of Control between India and Pakistan was a matter of concern for the US, Carter said the issue was a bilateral one and the US was interested in the two countries having good ties between them.

Asked to comment on the situation in Afghanistan where the American forces would start pulling out in 2014, he said the Afghan forces were taking leads in security operations in that country and are succeeding also.

"Afghan forces are succeeding. They are taking losses because they are operating independently for the first time. Afghans are taking the lead and they are successful. It is not correct that we are leaving Afghanistan," Carter said.

The American defence official said the US will have an enduring presence in Afghanistan for many years and a bilateral security agreement was expected to be signed between the two countries in next few weeks in this regard.

Carter said the US forces there have excess equipment and a lot of countries have shown interest in taking it. American officials said India has not shown any interest in procuring the second-hand defence equipment left there.

Pakistan's economic future depends on its ties with India: US - The Economic Times

 

[Abhishek_]

i think it is up to pakistan to decide where its future lies. patronizing comments like this from US and others are irrelevant at best, and counter-productive at worst.

 

[farhan_9909]

Good relations with India are OK

but we should not have very strong economic relations with India.

otherwise we will become like Bangladesh under them because of them being possible than our most major trade partner after giving them MFN status.

or MFN status should be given on a condition that export from india to pak should not cross the export of pak to india.

 

[&%)@$)(!#]

or MFN status should be given on a condition that export from india to pak should not cross the export of pak to india.

I think you didn't get point ,India's economy won't depend on Pakistan, it's other way round. You won't set the rules of game.Lay low or perish and let China flood your markets with Chinese products, without getting access to Indian markets while at the same time importing Indian goods via UAE at much higher prices.

 

[American Pakistani]

Well that is his opinion which is terribly wrong.

 

[Abhishek_]

I think you didn't get point ,India's economy won't depend on Pakistan, it's other way round. You won't set the rules of game.Lay low or perish and let China flood your markets with Chinese products, without getting access to Indian markets while at the same time importing Indian goods via UAE at much higher prices.

i dont think we indians have any right to make such patronizing remarks.

 

[livingdead]

i dont think we indians have any right to make such patronizing remarks.

exactly... none of us need each other as such.. but trade might contribute to prosperity on both sides

 

[Rafi]

the guy can fck right off.

 

[EAK]

 

[Glorino]

Well said and thought out. The way forward for Pakistan.Blessed are the people of Pakistan for having a good leader like Nawaz Sharif.Hope after 2014 elections in India-India gets a capable leader like him too

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

This article is absolute hogwash. While regional integration is the way forward, Pakistan realized enormous economic improvements on a macroeconomic and social level.

Our ties - economic and cultural with the eastern neighbor were, are and always have been negligible. Such articles come from the likes of Stephen Cohens and those types who have their own agenda.

This article is absolute hogwash. While regional integration is the way forward, Pakistan realized enormous economic improvements on a macroeconomic and social level.

Our ties - economic and cultural with the eastern neighbor were, are and always have been negligible. Such articles come from the likes of Stephen Cohens and those types who have their own agenda.

Good relations with India are OK

but we should not have very strong economic relations with India.

otherwise we will become like Bangladesh under them because of them being possible than our most major trade partner after giving them MFN status.

or MFN status should be given on a condition that export from india to pak should not cross the export of pak to india.

It's already obvious that MFN isn't happening. It's a non-starter

 

[Jackdaws]

It is common sense to trade with your neighbors - accessibility is much easier and their are are cultural similarities as well. You didn't need an American diplomat to tell you this - anyone with an iota of common sense will know this.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

It is common sense to trade with your neighbors - accessibility is much easier and their are are cultural similarities as well. You didn't need an American diplomat to tell you this - anyone with an iota of common sense will know this.

And that is contingent on bilateral relations. Anyone with an iota of sense knows that as well. I'm not disagreeing with you but what you're talking about is logistics.

Incidentally - there is still some trade going on. Pakistani apparel (finished goods) and jewelry , for example are gaining popularity in the neighbor country as was seen during the fashion expo held about 2 years back or so.

 

[Jackdaws]

And that is contingent on bilateral relations. Anyone with an iota of sense knows that as well. I'm not disagreeing with you but what you're talking about is logistics.

Incidentally - there is still some trade going on. Pakistani apparel (finished goods) and jewelry , for example are gaining popularity in the neighbor country as was seen during the fashion expo held about 2 years back or so.

Of course it does depend on bilateral relations. Surely, we can't be trading freely whilst pointing guns at each other. Mostly it is the ego of both the countries which leads to lack of solutions - neither will give an inch.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Of course it does depend on bilateral relations. Surely, we can't be trading freely whilst pointing guns at each other. Mostly it is the ego of both the countries which leads to lack of solutions - neither will give an inch.

Blame egos and blame democracy if something must be blamed because its parliament and the ministries that formulate the policies - WTO and ceremonial handshake visits (photo ops) are just ancillary