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On December 6, 1982, US Secretary of State George Shultz, during his meeting with former Pakistani President, late General Muhammad Zia Ul Haq, expressed his keenness that US was looking forward for the long term bilateral relationship with Pakistan, which in his words would grows over time and is strong enough to survive disagreements and problems which inevitably occur. The late President, however, responded cautiously to the Secretary of State and said that US and Pakistan indeed were a union of un-equals and incompatible in terms of culture, geography and national power, even though they had strong common interests.
These historical remarks hold good even today, as Pakistan has no parallels with a super power like United States, in terms of economic, military or diplomatic standing at the global level. It is beyond doubt that Pak-US relationship is indeed a history of turbulent connections, and there is no harm in admitting that Islamabads ties with Washington were dictated by specific politico-military interests with no deep-rooted historical and ideological union. Otherwise in the international politics, there are neither the permanent friends nor the everlasting foes. It is the national interest of a country which dictates its relations with other state. And so has been the Pak-US relationship in the last sixty years.
The former US policy makers and think tanks now openly admit that not only the Pak-US partnership in Afghanistan was a marriage of convenience, but throughout during the long years of cold war, Pakistan has served the US interests against the former Soviet Union. They correctly opine that Pakistan too has benefitted from this partnership especially in the field of economy and military assistance in ensuring its security in the region. But perhaps they forgot to accept another fact that because of these US aids; Pakistan was betrayed from the passageway of self sufficiency and over the period of time became a foreign aid dependent state. This dependency has brought along the dictations, continuing even today.
The level of dependency reached to an extreme stage once in 1980s, Pakistan had to play a pivotal role of organizing Islamic Jihad against Soviet invasion in Afghanistan, on behest of United State. And now there is a reversal under a new approach; the former Islamic Jihadists becoming the present day Islamic terrorists. There is a long list of actions from their creation to the current stage of divorce and undesirably Pakistan remained associated with it throughout. But what is awful in the entire process is the theatre where the entire game was and is being played; the Pakistani soil, mainly the Tribal belt, whose third generation is now paying the price of proxy wars and shortsighted policies ever since in 1979. These terror waves have now swollen to entire country.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Pakistan has played a role of front line state, in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). In this process of facilitation to the international community and to meet the requirements of the coalition partners in the GWOT, it has extended its all out help in the areas like: provision of logistics support through its territory from Arabian Sea to the Pak-Afghan border. In spite of threats to its security all along the eastern frontiers, Pakistan kept deployed over 100,000 regular troops along the Pak-Afghan border to seal off the alleged infiltration of militants into Afghan territory. It has been sharing the intelligence with US and NATO forces operating in Afghanistan. In précis, Pakistan has gone all out to smooth the progress of the coalition partners in fighting the war against terror especially in Afghanistan.
Upon reaching this extreme level of cooperation with US and NATO, the militants have turned against the governments anti terror slant by waging a full scale war against the state (Pakistan). Over the years they have adopted all conventional and unconventional means and stratagem in their fight against the state. They have resorted to suicide bombing, target killings, raids and ambushes on security forces and other targets of their choosing. On its part, the Government of Pakistan has made all-out efforts to resolve the crisis situation amicably through agreements, pacts or by making use of other reconciliatory measures for the sake of public safety. Failure to all these measures, the military action has been chosen by the government after consensus building in the Parliament as a last resort.
This military operation by security forces of Pakistan is against an unrevealed enemy. In the garb of religion, this of militants is not only the enemy of Pakistan, but also of Islam. They have deeply pierced into the tribal society and have virtually made the locals as captives. There are no apparent differences in the physical structures of these militants and the locals. They dress up alike and mostly speak the same language. Under such a scenario, security forces find enhanced difficulties in rooting them out, and there always have been the chances of collateral damages during these military operations.
Analysts have categorised these militants in to three main types; the former Jihadists (both locals and foreigners), the Pakistani Taliban (TPP) and the foreign militants mainly backed by anti Pakistan states of the world. With an endless strength, these militants are equipped with most modern weapons and equipments far better than what the security forces have. There is an uninterrupted flow of finances to these militants from across the Pak-Afghan border, which enables them to hire the local jobless youth at a reasonable pay package. They have unending reserves to reinforce their fighting power against security forces.
In operation, Rah-e-Rast, commenced a month earlier, many strongholds of the militants have been smashed by the security forces. But surprisingly they make appearance and regroup elsewhere and fight with an improved tactics. Besides this organized fighting, they have resorted to individual and isolated suicide attacks on high value targets with a new pattern, mainly hitting those whom they consider as obstruction in their way. The most recent example of suicide attack is the killing of Dr Mufti Sarfraz Hussain Naeemi, a legendary scholar, who opposed the ideology of Taliban and militants and declared it against Islam. Similar attacks have been conducted on locations of law enforcement agencies, public markets and sensitive national installations. However, the country has often been rewarded by its allies with accusations of providing the breeding grounds for the terrorists and not doing enough to eradicate the terrorists or stop their incursion into Afghanistan. It is being questioned about the justification for the use of $ 7 billion, which otherwise it was to receive for the transit and logistic facilities, it has provided to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. US and international community has perhaps forgotten to take into account, the economic losses of over $ 45 billions, Pakistan has suffered ever since the start of GWOT.
Owing to the insecure environment created due to Pakistans front line status in GWOT, no country or investor is ready to make foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country. Rather its own industrialists and investors are taking away their assets to comparatively safer countries in the world, thus pushing Pakistan into a state of total economic collapse. On the contrary, Afghanistan has been given over $108 billion, without making any worthwhile contribution or success at the level of Karazai Administration and US / NATO are not even making a mention of that. Regretfully, US and its coalition partners are also not taking into account the expenditures being occurred in term of weapons, ammunition, equipment and losses of men and material while curbing the militancy by Pakistani security forces in these long eight years.
Now it is about time that international community and particularly US should make a realization about Pakistan of what it has not been realized until now. As an immediate and first step, the coalition forces should stop the militants infiltration from Afghanistan into Pakistan. In the recent past US commanders in Afghanistan have accepted for the first time that there are clear signs that militants Taliban are frequently crossing over to Pakistani territory from Afghanistan. Moreover the country (Afghanistan) is in effect under their occupation since October 2001, therefore, the unchecked and boundless influx of these militants is further spreading the militancy and an insurgency like situation everywhere in Pakistan besides, tribal areas and Swat. It is not possible that security forces of Pakistan can reach everywhere in chasing these militants.
As a second measure, Coalition Forces should help ceasing the supply of the sophisticated arms and equipment and uninterrupted flow of finances to these militants operating in Pakistan. This too has been accepted by US officials that weapons stolen from its forces in Afghanistan are being used by the militants in Pakistan; perhaps the one who cross over from Afghanistan to Pakistan for the militancy. Controlling these two aspects would surely reduce the militancy in the tribal belt to a substantial level with an apparent signal of sincerity from the coalition partners.
Thirdly; being its strategic partner, United States should compel India to stop its anti Pakistan subversive activities in FATA and Balochistan, implementing through its consulates and covert launching pads established all along the Pak-Afghan border. Being in physical control of Afghanistan, US must compel these anti Pakistan forces to put a full stop to their reprehensible activities within Pakistan.
Fourthly; the ambiguous AfPak policy, lately announced by the President Barack Obama, should be reviewed and reconciled for a logical forward-thinking while taking historical context of both countries in view. Afghanistan and Pakistan have different backgrounds, cultures and values. Except religion and limited tribal traditions, nothing is common between the two countries. More over a country under foreign occupation cannot be equated with a sovereign nuclear power of the world.
Fifthly; the regional approach proposed in the AfPak policy, should include the countries having the geographical contiguity with Afghanistan. The idea of extended neighbourhood should have no room in the proposed policy for obliging India. Sixthly; instead of provision of $1.5 billion annual financial assistance to Pakistan, which otherwise is a peanut as compared to the financial losses the country has suffered ever since the commencement of GWOT, US and international community should help in the establishment of industrial and human resource bases where jobless local youth of the tribal area could get their employment opportunities. Lastly; let Pakistani security forces to operate against the militants within geographical limits of the country. Drone or any other attacks in Pakistani areas by US, NATO and ISAF would fuel the militancy with enhancement in their strength as a retaliation as observed in the past.
In short, it is a considered view that Pakistan has done more than its capacity for the cause of international peace during the long eight years as a front line state in the GWOT. In the process and as vengeance, it has suffered a lot, both; security wise as well as economically. Pakistan has no capacity to be stretched anymore. International community should assist Pakistan in its enduring anti militant drive through cessation of militants infiltration from Afghanistan, impeding the cropping of the anti Pakistan conspiracies and strengthening its economic base by encouraging FDI and allowing Pakistani exports in international markets. After all the allies too have some moral obligations and responsibilities towards Pakistan; a country which always responded positively to the global call even at the cost of its national interest.
* Lieutenant Colonel Dr Muhammad Khan is presently serving in NDU, Islamabad and is a regular contributor for Hilal (English).
:: ISPR :: Inter Services Public Relations - PAKISTAN
These historical remarks hold good even today, as Pakistan has no parallels with a super power like United States, in terms of economic, military or diplomatic standing at the global level. It is beyond doubt that Pak-US relationship is indeed a history of turbulent connections, and there is no harm in admitting that Islamabads ties with Washington were dictated by specific politico-military interests with no deep-rooted historical and ideological union. Otherwise in the international politics, there are neither the permanent friends nor the everlasting foes. It is the national interest of a country which dictates its relations with other state. And so has been the Pak-US relationship in the last sixty years.
The former US policy makers and think tanks now openly admit that not only the Pak-US partnership in Afghanistan was a marriage of convenience, but throughout during the long years of cold war, Pakistan has served the US interests against the former Soviet Union. They correctly opine that Pakistan too has benefitted from this partnership especially in the field of economy and military assistance in ensuring its security in the region. But perhaps they forgot to accept another fact that because of these US aids; Pakistan was betrayed from the passageway of self sufficiency and over the period of time became a foreign aid dependent state. This dependency has brought along the dictations, continuing even today.
The level of dependency reached to an extreme stage once in 1980s, Pakistan had to play a pivotal role of organizing Islamic Jihad against Soviet invasion in Afghanistan, on behest of United State. And now there is a reversal under a new approach; the former Islamic Jihadists becoming the present day Islamic terrorists. There is a long list of actions from their creation to the current stage of divorce and undesirably Pakistan remained associated with it throughout. But what is awful in the entire process is the theatre where the entire game was and is being played; the Pakistani soil, mainly the Tribal belt, whose third generation is now paying the price of proxy wars and shortsighted policies ever since in 1979. These terror waves have now swollen to entire country.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Pakistan has played a role of front line state, in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). In this process of facilitation to the international community and to meet the requirements of the coalition partners in the GWOT, it has extended its all out help in the areas like: provision of logistics support through its territory from Arabian Sea to the Pak-Afghan border. In spite of threats to its security all along the eastern frontiers, Pakistan kept deployed over 100,000 regular troops along the Pak-Afghan border to seal off the alleged infiltration of militants into Afghan territory. It has been sharing the intelligence with US and NATO forces operating in Afghanistan. In précis, Pakistan has gone all out to smooth the progress of the coalition partners in fighting the war against terror especially in Afghanistan.
Upon reaching this extreme level of cooperation with US and NATO, the militants have turned against the governments anti terror slant by waging a full scale war against the state (Pakistan). Over the years they have adopted all conventional and unconventional means and stratagem in their fight against the state. They have resorted to suicide bombing, target killings, raids and ambushes on security forces and other targets of their choosing. On its part, the Government of Pakistan has made all-out efforts to resolve the crisis situation amicably through agreements, pacts or by making use of other reconciliatory measures for the sake of public safety. Failure to all these measures, the military action has been chosen by the government after consensus building in the Parliament as a last resort.
This military operation by security forces of Pakistan is against an unrevealed enemy. In the garb of religion, this of militants is not only the enemy of Pakistan, but also of Islam. They have deeply pierced into the tribal society and have virtually made the locals as captives. There are no apparent differences in the physical structures of these militants and the locals. They dress up alike and mostly speak the same language. Under such a scenario, security forces find enhanced difficulties in rooting them out, and there always have been the chances of collateral damages during these military operations.
Analysts have categorised these militants in to three main types; the former Jihadists (both locals and foreigners), the Pakistani Taliban (TPP) and the foreign militants mainly backed by anti Pakistan states of the world. With an endless strength, these militants are equipped with most modern weapons and equipments far better than what the security forces have. There is an uninterrupted flow of finances to these militants from across the Pak-Afghan border, which enables them to hire the local jobless youth at a reasonable pay package. They have unending reserves to reinforce their fighting power against security forces.
In operation, Rah-e-Rast, commenced a month earlier, many strongholds of the militants have been smashed by the security forces. But surprisingly they make appearance and regroup elsewhere and fight with an improved tactics. Besides this organized fighting, they have resorted to individual and isolated suicide attacks on high value targets with a new pattern, mainly hitting those whom they consider as obstruction in their way. The most recent example of suicide attack is the killing of Dr Mufti Sarfraz Hussain Naeemi, a legendary scholar, who opposed the ideology of Taliban and militants and declared it against Islam. Similar attacks have been conducted on locations of law enforcement agencies, public markets and sensitive national installations. However, the country has often been rewarded by its allies with accusations of providing the breeding grounds for the terrorists and not doing enough to eradicate the terrorists or stop their incursion into Afghanistan. It is being questioned about the justification for the use of $ 7 billion, which otherwise it was to receive for the transit and logistic facilities, it has provided to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. US and international community has perhaps forgotten to take into account, the economic losses of over $ 45 billions, Pakistan has suffered ever since the start of GWOT.
Owing to the insecure environment created due to Pakistans front line status in GWOT, no country or investor is ready to make foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country. Rather its own industrialists and investors are taking away their assets to comparatively safer countries in the world, thus pushing Pakistan into a state of total economic collapse. On the contrary, Afghanistan has been given over $108 billion, without making any worthwhile contribution or success at the level of Karazai Administration and US / NATO are not even making a mention of that. Regretfully, US and its coalition partners are also not taking into account the expenditures being occurred in term of weapons, ammunition, equipment and losses of men and material while curbing the militancy by Pakistani security forces in these long eight years.
Now it is about time that international community and particularly US should make a realization about Pakistan of what it has not been realized until now. As an immediate and first step, the coalition forces should stop the militants infiltration from Afghanistan into Pakistan. In the recent past US commanders in Afghanistan have accepted for the first time that there are clear signs that militants Taliban are frequently crossing over to Pakistani territory from Afghanistan. Moreover the country (Afghanistan) is in effect under their occupation since October 2001, therefore, the unchecked and boundless influx of these militants is further spreading the militancy and an insurgency like situation everywhere in Pakistan besides, tribal areas and Swat. It is not possible that security forces of Pakistan can reach everywhere in chasing these militants.
As a second measure, Coalition Forces should help ceasing the supply of the sophisticated arms and equipment and uninterrupted flow of finances to these militants operating in Pakistan. This too has been accepted by US officials that weapons stolen from its forces in Afghanistan are being used by the militants in Pakistan; perhaps the one who cross over from Afghanistan to Pakistan for the militancy. Controlling these two aspects would surely reduce the militancy in the tribal belt to a substantial level with an apparent signal of sincerity from the coalition partners.
Thirdly; being its strategic partner, United States should compel India to stop its anti Pakistan subversive activities in FATA and Balochistan, implementing through its consulates and covert launching pads established all along the Pak-Afghan border. Being in physical control of Afghanistan, US must compel these anti Pakistan forces to put a full stop to their reprehensible activities within Pakistan.
Fourthly; the ambiguous AfPak policy, lately announced by the President Barack Obama, should be reviewed and reconciled for a logical forward-thinking while taking historical context of both countries in view. Afghanistan and Pakistan have different backgrounds, cultures and values. Except religion and limited tribal traditions, nothing is common between the two countries. More over a country under foreign occupation cannot be equated with a sovereign nuclear power of the world.
Fifthly; the regional approach proposed in the AfPak policy, should include the countries having the geographical contiguity with Afghanistan. The idea of extended neighbourhood should have no room in the proposed policy for obliging India. Sixthly; instead of provision of $1.5 billion annual financial assistance to Pakistan, which otherwise is a peanut as compared to the financial losses the country has suffered ever since the commencement of GWOT, US and international community should help in the establishment of industrial and human resource bases where jobless local youth of the tribal area could get their employment opportunities. Lastly; let Pakistani security forces to operate against the militants within geographical limits of the country. Drone or any other attacks in Pakistani areas by US, NATO and ISAF would fuel the militancy with enhancement in their strength as a retaliation as observed in the past.
In short, it is a considered view that Pakistan has done more than its capacity for the cause of international peace during the long eight years as a front line state in the GWOT. In the process and as vengeance, it has suffered a lot, both; security wise as well as economically. Pakistan has no capacity to be stretched anymore. International community should assist Pakistan in its enduring anti militant drive through cessation of militants infiltration from Afghanistan, impeding the cropping of the anti Pakistan conspiracies and strengthening its economic base by encouraging FDI and allowing Pakistani exports in international markets. After all the allies too have some moral obligations and responsibilities towards Pakistan; a country which always responded positively to the global call even at the cost of its national interest.
* Lieutenant Colonel Dr Muhammad Khan is presently serving in NDU, Islamabad and is a regular contributor for Hilal (English).
:: ISPR :: Inter Services Public Relations - PAKISTAN
