"Relationship between US, Pakistan independent of India": Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi [India], September 23 (ANI): Former Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday asserted that Pakistan and the United States have a relationship that has come to the fore with multifaceted cooperation, which remains independent of India.

“There is a relationship between America and Pakistan, independent of India. However, given the recent context for us, it looks very bad in India,” Tharoor told ANI.

He stated that Pakistan’s attempt to convince the US that they were together in combating terrorism against groups like ISIS was a “successful strategy” since the terrorist outfits that attack both countries and their establishment are the same.

“Despite many setbacks, after 9/11 and the discovery that Osama Bin Laden was living on their soil, Pakistanis have managed to persuade the Americans that they are still an indispensable ally in counter-terrorism. The terrorists Pakistan breeds to attack us (India) are not the ones attacking America. The ones who are attacking America – ISIS, Daesh – are also attacking the Pakistani establishment and the Pakistani Army. Therefore, for them to go after these people and tell the Americans – see what we are doing for you is a successful strategy,” Tharoor said.

The Congress MP emphasised that the relationship between the US and Pakistan intensified during efforts to “push out” the Soviet Union from Afghanistan. He stated that Pakistan was a member of both the CENTO (Central Treaty Organisation) and SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation), which were military alliances sponsored by the US.

“We have been shaken by this. We have allowed ourselves to forget that Pakistan is an old ally of the US. Pakistan was a member of both CENTO and SEATO. The US was closer to Pakistan, militarily and strategically, earlier. The cooperation got intensified further when the Soviet Union marched into Afghanistan, and Pakistan became the base for American orchestration of the whole Mujahideen efforts to push out the Soviets from there,” Tharoor said.

He was responding to a question about Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir being invited to Washington twice in recent times.

“ISI was set up with American guidance and cooperation. We have had 30 years of warmth between India and America, but old history should not be forgotten. There are still many Pakistani military officers who were trained in America. A number of Pakistan Intelligence operatives have worked and been trained by the Americans. These relationships have been long and deep,” Tharoor added. (ANI)

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