Pak foreign policy is reactive not active: Khar

[RedRock]

Former FM of Pakistan Ms Khar raises some pretty strong points here and I think this should give some of my Pakistani friends food for thought.

Let's not mark her as another traitor like Hussain Haqqani :

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"In 60 years, we have taught our children that our national identity is to hate someone, and we are doing it with those who are physically the nearest. Hostile with India and now hostile with Afghanistan," she said.

She termed Pakistan's entry into Afghan Jihad a 'mistake' that maybe so and GHQ has still not pivoted from here policies vis-a-vis Afghanistan.



http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/131256-Pak-foreign-policy-is-reactive-not-active-Khar

Hey

I don't agree with what she is saying at all. We are not being taught(I have studied in Pakistan till my A'levels) to hate any country. We are just taught why we fought the wars and what led to them, that's about it. We are also taught that the Afghans did not recognize us and that the afghans supported the Pashtun nationalist movements and all, which concerned NWFP breaking apart from Pakistan and joining Afghanistan. Again, NO hate is spread in our curriculum.

Second, Pakistan entry into the afghan jihad was something we had to do. Period! We did what we had to, to keep the Russians at bay. Do you think if the Russians had easily taken over Afghanistan without much fuss, would they have stopped at our borders and said" Ok people that's enough, no need to go further". Pretty naive if anyone things that. They would have come straight for us and created a naval base in Baluchistan. No doubt about that. So joining the afghan jihad was a must. But there is one thing in hindsight which i wish we did not do and that was bring Islam into the mix, we could have handled that better, but joining the fight was a given.

As for are current policy, which is basically man the border and sit back and wait for the afghans to solve their mess, what is the problem. We have leaders who have 1/3 support of the Afghan people. So what do you want from us, hand them to you, so that those 1/3 start attacking us or support the ones that do. And, who knows how much love the Afghan refugees have for them. So we turn, say half a million or say quarter a million or say a few thousand people against us as well. No thank you. You want to get rid of the Haqqanis power and support base, win the support of the population that supports them in your country and they will be of no consequence. there support is in Afghanistan. Their soldiers are in Afghanistan. Its not like their soldiers are coming from Pakistan, no way. They live in afghan villages and fight from Afghanistan. I suggest you see former DG ISI Asad Durranis latest interview with the Dutch Royal Institute(I think that is the name). You might then understand what should be done, what was done and why it was done. Pakistan has solved the problem that the Afghans are currently facing. Our tribal people LEFT their homes and allowed the army to enter and flush out the militants, i don't think i have heard such reports where villages have been emptied by their residents and they asking for the Afghan army to go in, at least not of the scale that was witnessed in Pakistan. So blaming Pakistan for the Afghan problem will get your country no where. Not doing anything about the problem and taking in dollars and then when things go bad, you all blame Pakistan, easy way out for your politicians and military, don't you think. Pakistan cannot solve your issues, but they can guide you if you are sincere. You afghans have to solve it, period. The day you all figure that out will be the day Afghanistan starts to get out of the mess they themselves have gotten themselves into. Also, don't compare TTP with the Haqqanis or Afghan Taliban. TTP does not have even 0.001% support of the Pakistan people, while the Afghan Taliban(like mentioned before) have 1/3 the support of the Afghan people. The Pakistan people see the TTP as mercenaries/murderers while the afghan people see the Afghan Taliban as freedom fighters. Get the difference.

So my afghan brother, i have no ill intentions towards Afghanistan or its people. Nor does our country or military. If that was the case, we would be providing the Taliban with weapons and foremost would have sent all the refugees back so they could be burden on your government. but we are not doing any of those. I wish and pray that you all solve your differences and start to improve as a nation without any problems, but, it seems as if your military, government and police are least interested. Pathans are a majority in your country but they are not in the institutions that i have mentioned. The ethnic rivalry that you have in your country is what is holding you back. Mash Allah in our country that is not the case, we are Pakistanis first and then we relate to our ethnic background. Pakistan comes first, and that was proven by the actions of the tribal people when they left. I swear, if they did not, we would not have been in the situation that we are in today, which is way way better than 5 to 6 years ago. We have practically cleansed this country of terrorist and I salute the the tribal folks for what they did and I salute our army for honoring their promise to them. Yes there are some groups left, but we will work on them in due course. I hope the same happens in your country to.

Please do see that interview, if you have not already seen it.