'A Fresh Start'.

In present times, no two countries can remain isolated from each other. The recent thaw in the ties between the United States (US) and Pakistan attests this fact. The Trump administration is once again looking for a fresh start in establishing its relations with Islamabad. The ties between the two sides went sore when Pakistan had tried to remodel its foreign policy according to its national interests. The US President Trump responded to the paradigm shift in its foreign policy with a New Year tweet calling Pakistan a country that had 'given [the US] nothing but lies and deceit'. But the Trump administration's desire to give a new start to relations with Pakistan informs the world about Pakistan's importance in the international community. The recent US interest in resuming its engagements should be analysed while keeping the geopolitical considerations of the region in mind.

Washington wants to reconnect with Islamabad for furthering its national interests; Pakistan should also do the same. There is no need for Pakistan to play the lead role in any American plot until and unless its interests demand so. The new developments in this regard are welcome, as Kashmir is still a major talking point in the US-South Asia relations. However, if we look beyond the diplomatic platitudes, the US still backs the Indian stance on Kashmir. Islamabad...