Regional factors key to US-Pak ties, says SASSI Director

The chances of failure would increase with time in US-Pakistan relations if they would be based upon perspective, which is not enshrined on regional realities, Maria Sultan, Director South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI), said here on Tuesday.

Addressing a seminar, organized by History Department of Quaid-i-Azam University, she said Pakistan and US are going to start a progressive relationship but it would depend upon how the situation would unfold from both sides.

She said it is definitely a good start and it is hopefully moving in the right direction.

Maria Sultan gave a brief historical perspective in terms of Pakistan-US relations and briefed the audience about different school of thoughts that influence US foreign policy and constraints of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

She said as far as the Pakistan’s foreign policy there is a huge disconnect between government and domestic sources of foreign policy, adding sometimes the difference becomes quite visible on various important issues.

Dr. Razia Sultana, Chairperson of the Department of History, said that well informed civil society can play a vital role to strengthen the bilateral relations between two countries.