“Pakistan’s friendship with China will push US closer to India”

[Hyperion]

For the US: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!

The Yanks can suck on...........

 

[BDforever]

Political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot offers valuable insights on the recent skirmishes between Pakistan and India along the LoC and Pakistan’s changing relations with world powers.

Christophe Jaffrelot is a prominent French political scientist and an expert on South Asian politics with a particular focus on India and Pakistan. A senior research fellow at CERI-Science (centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Internationales), Paris, and the author of more than 25 books, Christophe Jaffrelot was in Karachi recently to promote his new book, The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience. He spoke to The News on Sunday and offered valuable insights on the recent skirmishes between Pakistan and India along the Line of Control (LoC) and Pakistan’s changing relations with world powers. Excerpts follow.


The News on Sunday: The Modi government is being seen as anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan and recently there has been a growing urge among the hardliner Indians to push Modi for a military adventure against Pakistan. Do you see some sort of skirmishes on the borders in the near future?

Christophe Jaffrelot: Well the skirmishes are already that have derailed the peace process of talks. About a year ago, there should have been a meeting of foreign secretaries but it was canceled. So unfortunately expectations on both sides for talks have been somewhat disappointing. But I am still hoping because it is in the interest of both sides to normalise their relations and this awareness is gaining momentum on both sides too. It is time to open a new chapter.

I don’t think there would be any escalation except if some people are interested in derailing the normalisation process, and hopefully that will not happen.


TNS: Pakistanis and Indians have a limited people-to-people contact and media outlets are largely blocked. When you travel to India, you meet a lot of people there. What is the general perception there about Pakistan?

CJ: The mutual ignorance on both sides is really painful because the way they paint each other is very similar and much exaggerated. And the mutual ignorance means that in spite of goodwill, people don’t see that the other side is very similar. The Indian and Pakistani societies have more in common than many other societies. If it was left to the people, this conflict would be very different. It would not get this acrimonious and adverse.


TNS: Army Chief General Raheel Sharif is a well respected figure in Pakistan. How do you see his role in the fight against terrorism?

CJ: Well, clearly there has been a change and this change is noticeable for the last one year when Raheel Sharif decided not to talk to TTP and fight them in Fata. So yes a few months after taking over from his predecessor, he has taken a different course. Now, does it necessarily lead to an extension, it is too early to say. What will be the balance of power between the military and civilian leadership in the future, we will have to see.


TNS: The Pakistan China Economic Corridor is a very important project for Pakistan. A common perception is that we are moving closer to China and moving away from our old friend USA. How do you see the situation?

CJ: Well that was certainly bound to happen after the withdrawal of the Nato forces from Afghanistan and the diminishing American financial aid. China has been the all weather friend which is now prepared not only to give aid but to develop the country in terms of energy, transportation and infrastructure. Of course, they will take their own share of it. Chinese are not actually giving but investing. So that was bound to happen.
Now, I am more interested in the impact of this Pakistan-China approach on the Indian scene, because as you say, the US is being replaced by China as the new friend of Pakistan. The US may turn to India and India may turn to the US. India will need some support from outside also, and where else could it find it except the US.


TNS: Recently, a contingent of Pakistani armed forces was invited to the WW II military parade in China. Do you think that was a clear message to India?

CJ: I think Indians already know too well that China is behind Pakistan, and they know it for the last 25-30 years. It is not in the interest of these countries to have any military escalation and certainly not in the interest of China. Neither India nor China will go to the battleground without thinking and re-thinking the implications.


TNS: You have discussed Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran in detail in your new book. How do you see Nawaz Sharif government keeping a balance in relations with both?

CJ: I don’t think Nawaz Sharif is in the driving seat, I don’t think the question is about what the PM wants to do, the question is more what the establishment wants to do. They were the ones who were asked to help in Yemen. So the dilemma is can Pakistan remain equidistant between Iran and Saudi Arabia? Can Pakistan develop good relations with both on different agendas i.e. energy and military cooperation?

This is a very important question that will become really topical the moment Iran is fully back in the international relations. The sanctions maybe lifted by the end of the year that will be a turning point. It will be for the Pakistanis to fine tune this. If it works fine it will open new opportunities like Iranian gas pipeline project and probably the Gwadar deep sea port when it’s fully operational. It’s not easy, it will be complicated for sure, but I am sure the Pakistani diplomats, who are the best diplomats in the region, will help and succeed.


TNS: The educated people in Pakistan, specially the youth, find a lot of hopelessness in the system and are leaving the country. What would you say to them, do you see hope that things will improve and they will return back to serve Pakistan?

CJ: Now that would be fabulous end of the story, of all the talents that have been either suppressed and exiled coming back and building a new Pakistan, and this time a really new Pakistan. The ‘New Pakistan’ was the key tagline in the 2013 elections and the 2014 dharnas, and now two years later we are nowhere close to that ‘New Pakistan’. So yes, that would be terrific, and when I see students in Karachi and other cities I am pretty hopeful because all the energy, imagination and all the openness is there.

But you know better than me because you are suffering from the system, that there are so many vested interests, there are so many corrupt actors that talent is not enough and a real social reform has to be made which must have some dimensions in terms of institutional reforms, but it’s a moral reform and for that there is nobody who can decide, it has to come from society itself.

The ball is in many different courts, of course it is in the court of leaders who are not prepared to let this energy grow, it is in the court of all those who are not participating, who are not objecting, who are just keeping quiet. The more you keep quiet, the more you suffer.

Defence News - “Pakistan’s friendship with China will push US closer to India”

and then Russia will be close to Pakistan LOL

 

[[Bregs]]

The Chinese belligerence in SCS and Indian ocean along with common interests in bilateral economic trade is the reason for closer US- India ties. Pakistan has been closer to china since decades so this can never be the sole reason as per the writer

India will never toe US lines blindly as shown recently when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and despite US/west pressure India supported Russian move

 

[TaimiKhan]

and then Russia will be close to Pakistan LOL

Hardly, it is gonna take decades for that. India will still remain a good friend and buyer of Russian stuff.

We may keep getting the not so strategic assets, nothing more.

 

[Vyom]

I thought it was the other way around. US relationship with our sworn enemies is pushing us further into the arms of regional allies. There is immense hatred against the US for agreeing to a nuclear deal with India while bemoaning our nuclear weapons. There was also the Presler Amendment.

US is a country of backstabbers and it is choosing new allies-allies it is treating better than us. It is interesting to note that US did not give us a nuke deal-the same one it gave to India. The shift has been visible for decades if our corrupt and fearful politicians could see it. They are in the arms of the US like Hussain Haqqani so they continue to parrot the idiotic idea that we should maintain ties with this brute of a state.

I didn't get the politician argument. The Pakistan Military (always) has the final say on all matters relating to foreign relations. and for the past decades Pakistan also had a military dictatorship. So its your army which responsible.
.
Also about the America perception, a majority of Pakistani arms were of American Origin until recently. Till Pakistan started buying Chinese in bulk from the late 1980s. Whilst most of Indian arms were Russian in Origin. Now, Indian weapons have a western flavors being added, and Pakistan is Getting Russian Origin Weaponry that China Produces. So, if you can see, the Russian and American Weapons system philosophies are in competition here. Even if you look up the old military documentaries they always have been pro Pakistan until, Clinton Landed here in India.

A wise man once said "There are no friends among nations, only interests."

Pakistan's local Industrial capability has nearly collapsed under the shadow of Pak-China trading matters but my fellow brethren continue to sing songs about Pak-China friendship.

Yes, I root for friendly relations with all countries that are not attempting to harm Pakistan but Pakistan should learn to stand on its own feet and protect its national interests.

Someone says sense and is bashed his own compatriots. Like I'll be if I say there is no way in hell the P5 will give India a UNSC seat, fellow Indian will start bashing me.

 

[third eye]

I agree with the fact that ties between India and US have improved. But I think Russia is now being ignored by India. For example for the past 10 years over 40% of India's military imports come from the US. We Pakistanis should be protesting the traitorous behavior of our so called ally but we tend to act like a slave nation.

There is merit in what you have written.

Maybe its the Vikramaditya effect and / or something to do with shifting priorities coupled with the fact that India is in a position to pay for what it wants now.

In any case these ' friendships' are seasonal.

Nations need to focus on only one thing - Economy. The rest follows.

 

[RoadRunner401]

Pakistan's problem for a long time has been, she keeps getting one loser after another as her leader. These so, called leaders have no interest in Pakistan or her future, so they are all yes man. As long as they can make money now and put it away they will say yes to anything.

 

[Lucky Breeze]

Its United States whos policies actually push Pakistan closer to China and now Russia ever.

 

[New World]

The ball is in many different courts, of course it is in the court of leaders who are not prepared to let this energy grow, it is in the court of all those who are not participating, who are not objecting, who are just keeping quiet. The more you keep quiet, the more you suffer.

very true..
this says the story of Pakistan

 

[Hurter]

U.S was and will never be closer with Pakistan. Move on

 

[RoadRunner401]

For the US: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!

The Yanks can suck on...........

It's not the yank's fault that Pakistanis keep electing 2nd grade fail, I will do anything for Dollar or Riyal as leaders. Billion dollars per year is what the price these guys have taken to be fooled over and over again.

Funniest thing is, I see people blaming the Yanks and not the leeches we call leaders who signed for ''The Wooden Horse'' every time.

 

[hunter_hunted]

Yes everything around the world is centered around Pakistan- the only richest greatest nation on earth

No we are not Modi-fied drones, and we believe that Earth revolve around Sun means we are not center of universe.

And yes we are not greatest nation on earth but aspire to be good if not greatest and we dont claim to be superpower like you guys. We let other play superpower

We dont invade other countries and start terrorism in other countries and make the whole region unstable just like you Modi-fied drones.

We dont stop minorities from celebrating their religious events

So yes we are doing A-OK , thanks for coming

 

[nair]

And i wish India learns from us and keep a distance from the US and does not becomes a puppy like our politicians / generals, thus sparring the situation in which we are.

This is a very important point, and i am sure India knows this (atleast for now).... Both are playing the game as it suits them..... There is nothing called largest democracy loves oldest democracy...... All it matters is national interest at that point of time...

I agree that the relationship has gone up multiple times in a decade, the day India resolves the issues with China, then the equation changes altogether......

 

[Menace2Society]

We allied with the US after 9/11 because of the fear of US might and by our hunger for dollars. We helped the americans to kill millions of the poor afghans,gave them logistics and our leaders got rich with US dollars. We betrayed islam and we have the blood of the afghans on our hands. We are paying for it.Just don't realize the monstrous mistake we made

*DAEESH ALERT*

Do you understand how flawed your logic is? Just think about it for a moment. Afghans blame us for Taliban. They also blame us for US invasion. They blame us for everything dumbo.

NATO bombed Afghanistan, not Pakistan. We have nobodys blood on our hands dumbo.

Afghans do not represent Islam dumbo.

F**king terrorist mindset in Pakistan. Some of you are habitual wrist slitters.

Afghans don't cry a river over how bad they are and how they have insulted Islam when they were raiding Pakistan in the 50s.

 

[LeGenD]

Liaquat Ali Khan refused to accept the first US scheme. He thus became a victim of a foreign conspiracy. Just 10 days following the death of LAK, Pakistan signed the US deal for loans. During the nuclear programs, couple of times, foreign aid was banned over Pakistan but nothing could make the Pakistani public starve. We are capable of standing on our own feet provided that foreign plots come to an end.

Brother, we have an additional problem; our nation haven't matured beyond the mindset of personal gains, keeps electing corrupt individuals as leaders and expect them to deliver.