‘Pak may seek China’s help to stop India from becoming a permanent UNSC member’

ISLAMABAD - US President Barack Obama’s comments about backing India for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seems to have disappointed Pakistan, with one of it’s leading journalists claiming that Islamabad would likely seek China’s assurances that it would keep India out of the Security Council.

The Globe and Mail quoted Najam Sethi, editor-in-chief of a Pakistani weekly newspaper ‘The Friday Times’, as saying that the move would reinforce suspicions among Pakistanis that America’s interest in their country is temporary and tactical, while India builds a long-term strategic partnership with the United States.

“The perception will be that the U.S. cannot be trusted,” Sethi said.

Imtiaz Gul, a Pakistani analyst, said that he recently spent a few weeks travelling in the United States and noticed that concern about U.S. jobs has overshadowed worries about the Taliban.

“Obama may want to win hearts and minds in Pakistan, but not corporate America. That’s the cold reality, it’s money-driven politics,” the paper quoted Gul, as saying.

Obama’s support for India’s permanent membership in the UNSC is reportedly being seen by large sections of the US media as an attempt to counter China.

All permanent members except China have now endorsed India’s seat on an expanded council, and China would likely continue to block any growth in its permanent membership, the paper said.

Several middle powers like Canada have also reportedly opposed adding new permanent members, even working with unlikely allies such as Pakistan to lobby for a proposal that would add temporary members instead. (ANI)