In an article in the Dawn on August 26, 2017, Ashraf Jahangir Qazi, former Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Iran, India and China, commented on US President Donald Trump accusing Pakistan of giving “safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror” and said Trump's new Afghan strategy will “change the approach in how to deal with Pakistan”. Qazi warned that no partnership with Pakistan could survive its “harbouring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials”. Qazi warned that Narendra Modi, Ghani and the US establishment have convinced Trump that an emerging China- and Russia-centric political, economic and security order in Eurasia and ‘loss’ of Afghanistan, which could lead to the loss of the Eurasian heartland, would be fatal for Trump’s presidency. He said Pakistan is seen as a villain in this unfolding Greater Game!

Qazi said Modi had played a crucial role in hardening Trump’s stance on Pakistan during his June visit to Washington as an essential first step towards containing China in Central and South Asia and in the Indian Ocean. In the joint statement of June 27, 2017, Trump and Modi “called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terror attacks on other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups”. On Afghanistan, the statement said “the increasing instability, due to terrorism [read Pakistan] in Afghanistan is one of our common concerns” and “in order to attain our objectives for peace and stability in Afghanistan we will maintain close consultation and communication to enhance coordination between our two countries”. Pakistan poses “a threat to the region and beyond”. All this is echoed in Trump’s latest warning to Pakistan.

Qazi added that the strategic targeting of China is obvious and observed that 'Indian aggression in Doklam with the US fully backing India against China confirms that Indo-US coordination regarding Pakistan and Afghanistan is part of a much larger theatre of strategic cooperation, competition and confrontation. India is playing for high stakes. Indo-US pressures on Pakistan are set to build. A normally cautious China and Russia have sprung to the defence of Pakistan after Trump’s accusations against Pakistan. The global strategic lines for the 21st century are being drawn'. He said it is critical for Pakistan to formulate and follow an integrated Afghanistan, India and Kashmir policy where strategic coordination with China will be essential. He added too that a short-sighted India-centric Afghanistan policy will be disastrous for Pakistan-Afghan relations and for the strategic development of Pakistan-China relations. As a weak link in any strategic chain Pakistan will be of no use to anyone.