Trump praises ‘good friend’ Modi as Sharif rolls out carpet of eulogies

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi – despite not being able to attend the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh due to prescheduled commitments – was paid warm tributes by co-host US President Donald Trump, much to the discomfort of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The Summit at the resort-town was also co-hosted by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

“India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top, and he’s done a fantastic job. I think that Pakistan and India are going to live very nicely together,” said Trump, beaming at the cameras on Monday (October 13). Intermittently turning towards Sharif, who was standing behind the US President during the latter’s concluding address at the Summit, Trump urged India and Pakistan would “live very nicely together”.

The slight laughter from world leaders present was audible during a televised address. Incidentally, the US President paused his speech to invite Sharif to say a few words in what appeared to be an impromptu gesture.

Clearly taken unawares, Sharif limited his address in hailing Trump’s contributions to the peace process. Calling the day as one of the greatest in contemporary history, the Pakistan PM spoke about how peace has been achieved “after untiring efforts led by President Trump”. Sharif also thanked Trump, crediting him with averting a nuclear escalation between India and Pakistan. According to him, without the US President’s intervention, the conflict between the two countries with nuclear power could have spiralled into unimaginable devastation.

He also announced nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize again. Despite drawing worldwide praise for his efforts at a truce in Gaza and evolving a 20-point programme towards that end, the President appeared somewhat embarrassed when he reacted to Sharif’s eulogies with an exclamation, sharing that he had not expected such remarks.

Yet, Trump has earlier himself been talking about his pivotal role in the peace process and hostage exchange, taking credit for preventing a war between India and Pakistan for the umpteenth time. He cited the Gaza truce as one of the eight conflicts he had resolved in the eight years of his second term. The US President, while referring to the Pakistan Prime Minister, also mentioned General Asim Munir by name, though he was not present among the heads of state.

The reference indicates an apparent wave of the power the Pakistan Army wields over an elected government. “Asim Munir,” he stated, “is my favourite field marshal.” Sharif recently accompanied Munir to the White House to convince Trump to develop Pasni, a small deepwater port in Balochistan’s Gwadar district.

The duo intends to turn the port, currently catering to fishing and coastal trade and a maritime security agency base, into a strategic mineral export terminal with US help. There is also the aim of getting Washington’s help in quelling a Baloch revolt seeking independence from Islamabad’s repression, backed by the Army. The region has been facing a severe human rights crisis amidst military operations.

Civilians, including women and children, are getting killed not only by bullets, but also in aerial bombardment, according to reports. In August this year, the US Department of State issued a communique designating the Baloch Liberation Army as a foreign terrorist organisation. On matters of diplomacy, nonetheless, voices of dissidence rise within the Pakistani government – such as that of the incumbent Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif – publicly claiming China to be a more reliable ally than the US.

Apart from Baluchistan, Islamabad is already beleaguered with simmering insurgency in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), armed skirmishes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resurgence of Islamist hardliners leading to fatal clashes in major towns, a Taliban attack at the Afghanistan border, and an acute economic problem, all plunging the country into volatility. Thus, it is a desperate attempt by the current Pakistani leaders for bare survival.

–IANS