Pakistan-US Ties Can Grow Through Trade, Minerals and Technology: Holland -

TIMES REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Trade, critical minerals and technology can provide a stronger and more sustainable foundation for Pakistan-US relations than security-driven partnerships of the past, Professor Dr. Kenneth M. Holland, Fulbright Specialist and Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Utah, said at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).

Speaking at a session titled “Pakistan-US Relations in a Multipolar World,” organised by the IRS China Program under its Eminent Speaker Series, Professor Holland highlighted opportunities for economic cooperation amid growing strategic competition among the United States, China and Russia.

He said critical minerals, artificial intelligence, private-sector investment and educational exchanges offered promising avenues for strengthening bilateral ties. Pakistan’s mineral resources and educated, English-speaking young workforce could help attract American investment, particularly in technology-related services.

Discussing regional dynamics, Holland said Pakistan sought strategic autonomy and could diversify its economic partnerships through stronger engagement with the United States. He also highlighted shared counterterrorism concerns, particularly the threat posed by ISIS-K, while noting Washington’s concerns about the potential military implications of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He stressed the importance of expanding trade, promoting higher-value-added exports and improving electricity and internet infrastructure to support economic cooperation.

Holland also highlighted educational ties, noting that Pakistan hosts the world’s largest Fulbright programme and that the number of Fulbright PhD scholarships for Pakistani students had increased from 33 to 66.

The discussion covered regional connectivity projects, including the TAPI gas pipeline, CASA-1000 and the Trans-Afghan Railway, as well as changing relations among regional powers.

Dr. Usman Chohan, Research Fellow at IRS, highlighted emerging opportunities in digital assets and a proposed liquidity arrangement between Pakistan and the United States.

Concluding the session, Holland said both countries shared important interests despite differences over China and India, adding that skilful diplomacy would be essential to managing these differences and building a lasting economic partnership.