As the world awaits the results of US Presidential election, Pakistan will be hoping Democrat Joe Biden assumes the President’s office. Pakistan has been in trouble with the Donald Trump administration and would be hoping for Joe Biden’s victory.
Joe Biden is an old diplomat and has had cordial relations with Pakistan and that is the reason why Pakistan is rooting for him.
In 2008, Pakistan had conferred Biden with the second highest civilian honor, ‘Hilal-e-Pakistan’. Joe Biden and Senator Richard Lugar were beind the proposal to bring $ 1.5 billion non-military aid to Pakistan. Lugar too was awarded the ‘Hilal-e-Pakistan’.
Asif Ali Zardari, then the President of Pakistan, had thanked the two for “consistently supporting Pakistan”.
Pakistani analysts feel that Biden as president will return the old era of diplomacy between the two countries.
While Trump’s straight forward attitude and not very diplomatic approach is the reason behind is unpopularity in Pakistan. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Pakistan on several public forums.
During Trump’s tenure, relations between the US and Pakistan have deteriorated. Another Pakistani analyst said that if Trump is elected for a second term, he may gain more confidence. Trump has already enacted several laws regarding citizens coming from Muslim countries. Therefore, Pakistan wants Trump to move out of the White House.
Also, Joe Biden had come out in support of Kashmiris and had compared the plight of Muslims in Kashmir with that of Rohingyas in Bangladesh and Uygar Muslims in China.
In a statement published on June 2020, around 10 months after India revoked Article 370 of the constitution, Biden had asked New Delhi to restore the rights of the Kashmiris.
“In Kashmir, the Indian government should take all necessary steps to restore rights for all the people of Kashmir. Restrictions on dissent, such as preventing peaceful protests or shutting or slowing down the Internet, weaken democracy,” the statement read.
Article 370 had been scrapped on August 5 and the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories — Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
According to experts have keenly watching Pakistan’s foreign policy, think it will be good news for Pakistan if Joe Biden takes oath for office at the White House. Joe Biden can give a new dimension to relations with Pakistan in his foreign policy. In such a situation, it is hoped that during Biden’s tenure, relations between Pakistan and America will be better than today.
Talat Masood, a retired military lieutenant general and a senior analyst for political-military affairs, said that it is not likely that US relations with Pakistan will be fully corrected after Biden becomes US President. We should not live in this hope at all. He said that Biden will restore the dignity of all international organizations. This will help Pakistan.
