Pakistan must sign no-war pact with India: Former diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi

[Kaniska]

Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy has been a gift to India, wrote Ashraf Jehangir Qazi wrote in an opinion piece in the 'Dawn'
Dubbing the economic and political crisis now enveloping Pakistan as a “listless gloom”, a former senior Pakistani diplomat wants Islamabad to seek a rapprochement and sign a no-war treaty with India.

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, who has also served in the United Nations, has also said that the hijacking of Pakistan’s foreign policy by the military had led to a disaster in Afghanistan and that “Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy has been a gift to India.”

“The reality of Pakistan, shaped by its wayward masters and bureaucrats, manifests itself each day,” Qazi wrote in an opinion piece in the Dawn, a widely circulated English language newspaper published from Islamabad.

Worse than 1971


“Not even December 1971 compares with the listless gloom that engulfs the country today,” said the former envoy to the US, India and China.

“Ever since the loss of our eastern wing and the judicial murder of our first elected prime minister, our story has degenerated from the tragic to the pathetic to the absurd,” he said.

He accused every major institution and influential group of people of failing Pakistan including the government, the army and intelligence apparatus, the judiciary, parliament, political leaders, the media, civil services and elites.

“Together, they have ensured a failed state,” he said.

Saying peace was a prerequisite, Qazi said that while Kashmir “is a matter of principle, it is also a human rights challenge”.



No-war pact

Further, he said, “Pakistan has a responsibility to seek a rapprochement with a very difficult India, in order to increase the prospects for justice in Kashmir and to render multifaceted cooperation with India politically feasible.”

“Principled compromise approaches can increase the probability of reciprocity, transform zero-sum confrontation into positive sum cooperation, reduce security expenditures, and with greater interactions allow less mutually hostile narratives to emerge,” he wrote.

“There is no reason why Pakistan should not be willing to negotiate a no-war agreement with India. Reaching a principled understanding on Kashmir could greatly help such an endeavour. Accordingly, playing to the gallery on Kashmir in these circumstances is of no help to the Kashmiris.”

Afghan policy

The diplomat also urged Islamabad to bring about major changes in Pakistan’s Afghan policy

“Respecting Afghanistan’s independence and gaining its confidence is the way towards developing the closest of ties with it and accessing the massive potential for regional cooperation with Central Asia and Iran,” he said.

Qazi said that no enemy of Pakistan today matches the enmity of its own rulers.

“They laugh all the way to their foreign banks and talk of national security and economic stability while the ruled sink below the poverty line to wither and die,” he added. He warned that Pakistan desperately needed “decent governance” now. “Without it, elections will only mimic and insult democracy and existential threats will end our existence,” he pointed out.

Pakistan must sign no-war pact with India: Former diplomat

%%title%% Dubbing the economic and political crisis now enveloping Pakistan as a “listless gloom”, a former senior Pakistani diplomat wants Islamabad to seek a rapprochement and sign a no-war treaty...

thefederal.com

Typical excuse by Pakistan elites....The danger of India to Pakistan is oversold by Pakistan elites within their public. In reality, India does not have the ability nor even the real intent to attack Pakistan by messing up the entire economic success we have gained in the last 30 years...

Rather than India or anything related to Indian acts, Pakistan should simply allow democratic institutions to run the country and their army take the back seat. If Pakistan is governed by their true people's leaders for 20-25 year, Indo Pak relations will be just like another neighbor.

The only solution to Kashmir is military. For the sake of optics our establishment talks of diplomacy and all this other crap, but in reality there will never be a political settlement to Kashmir. If Pakistan wants Kashmir, it will have to take it militarily and our current military and political leadership feel we cannot do so, so will not even state it as a reality.

Pakistan does not have the global political capital, the financial capability and probably even the military strength required to conquer Kashmir - yet. If and when it does, if may try.

Until then the establishment will keep talking about diplomacy and talks, because it knows it cannot actually do anything about Kashmir and it needs to use the Kashmir brand, to keep itself relevant.

Spot on...Pakistan has to fight a war to take Kashmir...And again, this is the wish for Pakistan's elite and military to have relevance in front of their people...
So rather than asking for no war with India, it is more like Pakistan's military has to plan out for themselves not to get engaged in any war.

 

[Abdul Rehman Majeed]

Pakistan's long term strategic objective should be to balkanize India. Making peace with India will be seen as a weakness as always.

Exactly!

Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy has been a gift to India, wrote Ashraf Jehangir Qazi wrote in an opinion piece in the 'Dawn'
Dubbing the economic and political crisis now enveloping Pakistan as a “listless gloom”, a former senior Pakistani diplomat wants Islamabad to seek a rapprochement and sign a no-war treaty with India.

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, who has also served in the United Nations, has also said that the hijacking of Pakistan’s foreign policy by the military had led to a disaster in Afghanistan and that “Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy has been a gift to India.”

“The reality of Pakistan, shaped by its wayward masters and bureaucrats, manifests itself each day,” Qazi wrote in an opinion piece in the Dawn, a widely circulated English language newspaper published from Islamabad.

Worse than 1971


“Not even December 1971 compares with the listless gloom that engulfs the country today,” said the former envoy to the US, India and China.

“Ever since the loss of our eastern wing and the judicial murder of our first elected prime minister, our story has degenerated from the tragic to the pathetic to the absurd,” he said.

He accused every major institution and influential group of people of failing Pakistan including the government, the army and intelligence apparatus, the judiciary, parliament, political leaders, the media, civil services and elites.

“Together, they have ensured a failed state,” he said.

Saying peace was a prerequisite, Qazi said that while Kashmir “is a matter of principle, it is also a human rights challenge”.



No-war pact

Further, he said, “Pakistan has a responsibility to seek a rapprochement with a very difficult India, in order to increase the prospects for justice in Kashmir and to render multifaceted cooperation with India politically feasible.”

“Principled compromise approaches can increase the probability of reciprocity, transform zero-sum confrontation into positive sum cooperation, reduce security expenditures, and with greater interactions allow less mutually hostile narratives to emerge,” he wrote.

“There is no reason why Pakistan should not be willing to negotiate a no-war agreement with India. Reaching a principled understanding on Kashmir could greatly help such an endeavour. Accordingly, playing to the gallery on Kashmir in these circumstances is of no help to the Kashmiris.”

Afghan policy

The diplomat also urged Islamabad to bring about major changes in Pakistan’s Afghan policy

“Respecting Afghanistan’s independence and gaining its confidence is the way towards developing the closest of ties with it and accessing the massive potential for regional cooperation with Central Asia and Iran,” he said.

Qazi said that no enemy of Pakistan today matches the enmity of its own rulers.

“They laugh all the way to their foreign banks and talk of national security and economic stability while the ruled sink below the poverty line to wither and die,” he added. He warned that Pakistan desperately needed “decent governance” now. “Without it, elections will only mimic and insult democracy and existential threats will end our existence,” he pointed out.

Pakistan must sign no-war pact with India: Former diplomat

%%title%% Dubbing the economic and political crisis now enveloping Pakistan as a “listless gloom”, a former senior Pakistani diplomat wants Islamabad to seek a rapprochement and sign a no-war treaty...

thefederal.com

I am okay with Pakistan signing a war pact with India for conventional war.

Unconventional and Nuclear wars should be excluded from this pact.

 

[hembo]

Exactly!



I am okay with Pakistan signing a war pact with India for conventional war.

Unconventional and Nuclear wars should be excluded from this pact.

Sometimes I feel you non resident Pakistanis are biggest danger to Pakistan. High on adrenal with little idea of the ground situation.

@Topic: Unfortunately (because I seek peace between the two neighbors), IMHO, GoI, at current situation, is not going to agree to any such suggestion. They will keep observing the infights and the obvious deterioration thereof, and keep strengthening their defence capabilities (including covert ops) to the extent that there will be no repeat of 65, 90s active indulgence to extremism (not only in Kashmir), Mushi's backstabbing. The results will automatically fall into the grooves without any economic hardship to India.

My personal wish is for both neighbors to grow, along with China, in peace to actively make it a century of Asia and beyond. Alas, 22 years of the century has already passed and I don't see any reduction of the usual bickerings from all the parties involved.

 

[nahtanbob]

Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy has been a gift to India, wrote Ashraf Jehangir Qazi wrote in an opinion piece in the 'Dawn'
Dubbing the economic and political crisis now enveloping Pakistan as a “listless gloom”, a former senior Pakistani diplomat wants Islamabad to seek a rapprochement and sign a no-war treaty with India.

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, who has also served in the United Nations, has also said that the hijacking of Pakistan’s foreign policy by the military had led to a disaster in Afghanistan and that “Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy has been a gift to India.”

“The reality of Pakistan, shaped by its wayward masters and bureaucrats, manifests itself each day,” Qazi wrote in an opinion piece in the Dawn, a widely circulated English language newspaper published from Islamabad.

Worse than 1971


“Not even December 1971 compares with the listless gloom that engulfs the country today,” said the former envoy to the US, India and China.

“Ever since the loss of our eastern wing and the judicial murder of our first elected prime minister, our story has degenerated from the tragic to the pathetic to the absurd,” he said.

He accused every major institution and influential group of people of failing Pakistan including the government, the army and intelligence apparatus, the judiciary, parliament, political leaders, the media, civil services and elites.

“Together, they have ensured a failed state,” he said.

Saying peace was a prerequisite, Qazi said that while Kashmir “is a matter of principle, it is also a human rights challenge”.



No-war pact

Further, he said, “Pakistan has a responsibility to seek a rapprochement with a very difficult India, in order to increase the prospects for justice in Kashmir and to render multifaceted cooperation with India politically feasible.”

“Principled compromise approaches can increase the probability of reciprocity, transform zero-sum confrontation into positive sum cooperation, reduce security expenditures, and with greater interactions allow less mutually hostile narratives to emerge,” he wrote.

“There is no reason why Pakistan should not be willing to negotiate a no-war agreement with India. Reaching a principled understanding on Kashmir could greatly help such an endeavour. Accordingly, playing to the gallery on Kashmir in these circumstances is of no help to the Kashmiris.”

Afghan policy

The diplomat also urged Islamabad to bring about major changes in Pakistan’s Afghan policy

“Respecting Afghanistan’s independence and gaining its confidence is the way towards developing the closest of ties with it and accessing the massive potential for regional cooperation with Central Asia and Iran,” he said.

Qazi said that no enemy of Pakistan today matches the enmity of its own rulers.

“They laugh all the way to their foreign banks and talk of national security and economic stability while the ruled sink below the poverty line to wither and die,” he added. He warned that Pakistan desperately needed “decent governance” now. “Without it, elections will only mimic and insult democracy and existential threats will end our existence,” he pointed out.

Pakistan must sign no-war pact with India: Former diplomat

%%title%% Dubbing the economic and political crisis now enveloping Pakistan as a “listless gloom”, a former senior Pakistani diplomat wants Islamabad to seek a rapprochement and sign a no-war treaty...

thefederal.com

Didn't Pakistan win in Afghanistan with the Taliban in power ? Not that it makes any difference with respect to India
I take it he is a highly respected member of Pakistani diplomatic corps to be posted to China, India and USA

If he is so eager to drop his pants I suggest he use a dating site.

Doesn't work on a lot of dating sites either

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

This was offered to India decades ago and they did not expect it. It was during the time of that dictator Jia Ul Phaq

 

[Kaniska]

Sometimes I feel you non resident Pakistanis are biggest danger to Pakistan. High on adrenal with little idea of the ground situation.

@Topic: Unfortunately (because I seek peace between the two neighbors), IMHO, GoI, at current situation, is not going to agree to any such suggestion. They will keep observing the infights and the obvious deterioration thereof, and keep strengthening their defence capabilities (including covert ops) to the extent that there will be no repeat of 65, 90s active indulgence to extremism (not only in Kashmir), Mushi's backstabbing. The results will automatically fall into the grooves without any economic hardship to India.

My personal wish is for both neighbors to grow, along with China, in peace to actively make it a century of Asia and beyond. Alas, 22 years of the century has already passed and I don't see any reduction of the usual bickerings from all the parties involved.

To be honest, with the advent of IK and the stupid misadventure by their elitist-backed Army, their ordinary people started realizing the menace of making Army institutions above democracy. In the next election, IK will come with a full majority and definitely, and it will be a good sign for Pakistan as well as South Asia...

Not only now, but in the future too, India will never ever attack Pakistan because we do not have any incentive by occupying additional land when we are not able to manage our existing population properly...It is the fear-mongering tactics of the Pak Army to keep themselves relevant that resulted in such a situation for them.

 

[SQ8]

To be honest, with the advent of IK and the stupid misadventure by their elitist-backed Army, their ordinary people started realizing the menace of making Army institutions above democracy. In the next election, IK will come with a full majority and definitely, and it will be a good sign for Pakistan as well as South Asia...

Not only now, but in the future too, India will never ever attack Pakistan because we do not have any incentive by occupying additional land when we are not able to manage our existing population properly...It is the fear-mongering tactics of the Pak Army to keep themselves relevant that resulted in such a situation for them.

One could surmise that in a way what was/is a real threat is now both overblown and poked at to keep things the way they are. The problem with any of those narratives and it applies to India too is that with the eventual spread of information even the most hardcore start seeing false narratives breaking away.

In a way, even the election gambit of Pakistan may wither away in India simply because the miserable condition of the state will become so well known beyond the ratings driven drivel on cable TV.

 

[Chute]

Meanwhile just a little stir and Bharti Basanti already suffering miscarriage.

Does Pakistanâs ISI have a role in Khalistan propagator Amritpal Singhâs rise in Punjab?

Pakistanâs Inter-Services Intelligence has reportedly provided a social media boost to Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh. Indiaâs security agencies believe the rise of the Waris Punjab De chief is an attempt by ISI to flare secessionist sentiments in the border state, according to media reports

www-firstpost-com.cdn.ampproject.org

See what I mean?.... the three tiers of dhimmi already showed up first thing in this thread lol.

Their weird bhakt form of "Notice me senpai! Notice me!" lol. They just can't help themselves.

No matter what is done to them, they crawl back for more abuse on their lot....the messed up obsession is that strong in these bottom feeders lol.

 

[Kaniska]

One could surmise that in a way what was/is a real threat is now both overblown and poked at to keep things the way they are. The problem with any of those narratives and it applies to India too is that with the eventual spread of information even the most hardcore start seeing false narratives breaking away.

In a way, even the election gambit of Pakistan may wither away in India simply because the miserable condition of the state will become so well known beyond the ratings driven drivel on cable TV.

That is true. But to even kick start any meaningful upward trajectory of Pakistan, you need some sort of stability in the governance of your country... I am a big fan of his similarity in a political adventure like Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi...I believe, IK has all the good intentions to make Pakistan a progressive modern state...But i am not sure, how come an English-educated Mr. Khan suddenly turned into a Taliban Khan...That is one of his biggest policy mistakes, that will hunt him politically in near future...Otherwise, he can at least provide meaningful stability in the political space.

 

[Rollno21]

Making peace with India will be seen as a weakness as always.

Is it not much better than balkanizing in the process.

 

[nahtanbob]

Pakistan does not have the global political capital, the financial capability and probably even the military strength required to conquer Kashmir - yet. If and when it does, if may try.

until india breaks your back why negotiate ?

 

[SaadH]

In other words we've already surrendered Kashmir, so why not become India's junior partner.

Not a bit surprising coming from a veteren representative of the mil-establishment

 

[delta2]

Pakistan's long term strategic objective should be to balkanize India. Making peace with India will be seen as a weakness as always.

Of course it is, and so is China's. There was extreme pressure from 'allies' to dial down such moves so Pakistan obliged. There is a reason you see all of these cockroaches huddling together in Pakistan with a brute force! My apologies to cockroaches, they are hard working creatures. But the sub human scum that has been ruling Pakistan has been successful so far in dampening the security agencies as well.

That same Pakistan that has an extensive intelligence network all through India has its main agency working with scum like Shahbaz and Rana. Indeed this is a bad situation.

Let it all burn.

 

[SQ8]

That is true. But to even kick start any meaningful upward trajectory of Pakistan, you need some sort of stability in the governance of your country... I am a big fan of his similarity in a political adventure like Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi...I believe, IK has all the good intentions to make Pakistan a progressive modern state...But i am not sure, how come an English-educated Mr. Khan suddenly turned into a Taliban Khan...That is one of his biggest policy mistakes, that will hunt him politically in near future...Otherwise, he can at least provide meaningful stability in the political space.

I think part of that comes from his political popularity with the people of the area where most of the support for the Taliban originates (why would you doubt your cousin from the tribe across or even your 1st cousin versus an outsider?) and because the war on terror has been very costly due to both mismanagement and ill-prepared security apparatus (focused for most of its existence on the east and even when the western theater opened up it was more for assets rather than thinking those men would turn or ignoring those who warned clearly about it). then, pan-Islamic themes are popular even with the quasi-educated in Pakistan due to a total lack of identity and ideological alignment in general so finally hearing fanatasia(about creating a utopian vision of what was 1500 years ago in a generally more uniform(culturally) and more stoic collective of people) had them hopeful as well along with the prospect of eliminating corruption (which they otherwise wholeheartedly embrace as “part of life). He isn’t more so “Taliban Khan” as world media seems to paint him but “Stubborn Khan”. If he has made up his mind that whatever he remembers from his political science education(granted at Oxford) and his understanding of the dynamics of the Afghan war and geopolitics tells him - then that IS the way and the only way. That is how the whole drama began with “absolutely not” and bungled up process with IMF(which would have saved all this misery) and then his chosen “wonder man” from Engro completely fumbled through running the finances of a state(which have NO parallel to any corporation due to Pakistan’s unique situation and culture).. yet until it blows up in his face IK doesn’t change course.

For all his cricket captaincy wisdom, while you don’t take a bowler off if he gets whacked around in one over, you definitely don’t keep him on for 5 over if the performance doesn’t change.

 

[Kaniska]

I think part of that comes from his political popularity with the people of the area where most of the support for the Taliban originates (why would you doubt your cousin from the tribe across or even your 1st cousin versus an outsider?) and because the war on terror has been very costly due to both mismanagement and ill-prepared security apparatus (focused for most of its existence on the east and even when the western theater opened up it was more for assets rather than thinking those men would turn or ignoring those who warned clearly about it). then, pan-Islamic themes are popular even with the quasi-educated in Pakistan due to a total lack of identity and ideological alignment in general so finally hearing fanatasia(about creating a utopian vision of what was 1500 years ago in a generally more uniform(culturally) and more stoic collective of people) had them hopeful as well along with the prospect of eliminating corruption (which they otherwise wholeheartedly embrace as “part of life). He isn’t more so “Taliban Khan” as world media seems to paint him but “Stubborn Khan”. If he has made up his mind that whatever he remembers from his political science education(granted at Oxford) and his understanding of the dynamics of the Afghan war and geopolitics tells him - then that IS the way and the only way. That is how the whole drama began with “absolutely not” and bungled up process with IMF(which would have saved all this misery) and then his chosen “wonder man” from Engro completely fumbled through running the finances of a state(which have NO parallel to any corporation due to Pakistan’s unique situation and culture).. yet until it blows up in his face IK doesn’t change course.

For all his cricket captaincy wisdom, while you don’t take a bowler off if he gets whacked around in one over, you definitely don’t keep him on for 5 over if the performance doesn’t change.

With this entire episode of regime change, it should be an eye-opener for the normal people of Pakistan that India is not the only enemy that needs to be managed by Pakistan, but the people of Pakistan need to handle the devil inside the room which is your Army to become a normal progressive nation... I can see many people in PDF is still of the opinion that Army is a saint without Bajwa...But they are not understanding that Bajwa is just a symptom of a problem that is too deep-rooted within your institution...Whoever in place of Bajwa will come, they will follow a similar trajectory unless any civilian leader forces him to change the path.
@VCheng @SQ8