Trump's cabinet picks put Pakistan on toes

Islamabad: President-elect Donald Trump is finalizing his cabinet but several of his picks so far have shaken many in the US and across the world.
Pakistan may no longer be a priority for the US foreign policy but the policymakers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are keeping close tabs on some of the nominations for the key ministerial slots in the Trump administration.

The mercurial incoming president has already named his secretary of state, defense, national security adviser, and CIA chief, positions that matter for the world, including Pakistan.
Given an element of unpredictability associated with the new dispensation in Washington, people in the power corridors here are trying to formulate a strategy based on Trump's choices for key positions.

The new elected president has inducted some of the most prominent figures like Elon Musk, who is the owner of X, and Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host, into his cabinet.
What is most concerning for Pakistan is that several people who are now part of the Trump administration have previously made headlines with their statements regarding Pakistan and India.

In this very sensitive position, secretary of state, Trump has nominated Senator Marco Rubio, who in the past has acted against Trump, but still, he is viewed as the statesman of foreign policy.

This July, Senator Rubio has done headlines for himself when he presented a bill in the US Senate which gave support to India and not Pakistani.

It was called the US-India Defense Cooperation Act, strengthening defense cooperation with the two nations in countering the growing presence of China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Under this bill, India would be granted security assistance according to its needs, besides defense, civil space, technology, and economic investment. It also had proposed equal treatment for India in terms of technology transfer just like for allies like Japan, Israel, Korea, and NATO. It also talked about Pakistan and sought a report for submission to Congress on Pakistan's supposed use of terrorism and proxy groups against India. The bill further added that if Pakistan was found involved in sponsoring terrorism against India, then no security assistance should be provided to Pakistan.

Rubio is also an outspoken Iran and China critic, however, while he strongly supported Israeli strikes in Gaza.

Trump appointed Mike Waltz as his national security adviser. Mike Waltz is the prominent figure in the US administration that counts for Pakistan. Like Rubio, Waltz has no optimistic view about Pakistan.

Waltz has been urging pressure to be mounted on Pakistan to do more to eliminate what is termed cross-border terrorism. He has served in the U. S. military and was deployed several times to Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa.

Another pick of Trump for the key position for the director of the US National Intelligence may also not augur well for Pakistan. A former democrat Tulsi Gabbard will head the National intelligence, which oversees 18 security agencies of the US.

During the February 2019 military standoff between Pakistan and India over Balakot attacks, Tulsi backed New Delhi and urged Islamabad to address the presumed threat of terror. She also blamed Pakistan for giving refuge to Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

John Ratcliffe is going to head the CIA. Given the US counter terrorism efforts in the region, the CIA chief is one office that remains in constant contact with Pakistani relevant authorities.

Ratcliffe, who earlier served as the director of the National Intelligence during Trump's first term, is known as a hawk on Iran and China.

While these appointments give some indication of the kind of policies the Trump administration is likely to pursue, Pakistan hopes its ties with the US will not suffer. Pakistan wants to work with the new administration of Donald Trump.

In a seemingly calculated policy statement, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir has now revealed that Pakistan will not join any bloc but will actively support efforts towards peace in the world.
Observers saw the statement of the army chief as being in direct conversation with the Trump Administration where the message from Pakistan goes across to Washington that they would like to have this relationship healthy on both sides.

The government has already decided to reach out to Trump's transition team in order to establish early contacts with the incoming administration