Pakistan does have constructive relationships with some countries. Most notable are KSA, Turkey and China respectively. Each have its own geopolitical significance and voice in global affairs. These countries have helped Pakistan cope with pressures of FATF as well.
Those countries have deep rooted strategic interests in Pakistan. one has to accept that there IS an "unofficial" but "looming" threat of Pakistan's nuclear umbrella that all these nations enjoy.
But how Pakistan landed in FATF grey list is in part due to American arm-twisting tactics and in part due to internal problems. Money laundering was/is one of the biggest concerns in Pakistani political circles and a familiar them for PML(N) in particular. Misutilization of charity funds is another concern due to sections of Pakistani clergy having semi-autonomy and sway on Public opinion. Being at the forefront of War On Terror in Afghanistan had its share of both positives and negatives.
bluntly put bro, pml-n including the entire sharif family and their patwaris need to be trialed for treason. they purposefully engineered Pakistan getting on the fatf grey list as an attempt to manipulate the Establishment that if they attempt to hold the sharif family accountable and punish them that they will harm Pakistan economically...this was done on purpose but in the bigger scheme of things, it is apparent that the Establishment has made up its mind to untimately remove all these shit politicians and their crony patwaris and jiyalas in the long run, thus we see an approach of biting the bullet and taking their foreign masters head on by calling their bluffs and blunting their attacks. it HAS to be done...as a nation, we will NOT be manipulated anymore.
In regards to your point about 'new potential markets' for various Pakistani goods in theory, my counterpoint is that what Pakistan offers to other countries in terms of EXPORTS in the present?
agreed that up until the last 3 years, yes, we primarily exported fabrics and agriculture and that too, basically in dwindling quantities. But we do see a spike in these exports along with a big increase in software AND hardware exports. For example, Pakistan has started exporting mobile smart phones that are assembled in Pakistan. More to come. Exports are an interesting phenomenon in economics, they have a way of creating sales opportunities and wealth creation in its own right for both the exporter and the importer.
China is extremely competitive in terms of EXPORTS because China manufactures virtually everything of great value. Pakistan does not even register on global radar in comparison.
USA is very competitive in terms of EXPORTS as well because USA offers numerous technologies of great value to other countries in the form of key components and even finished goods. Pakistan does not hold a candle in this case either.
that is correct but let's understand that the american exports which are primarily technological are EXPENSIVE while the Chinese technological exports have started replacing american technological exports by a huge margine; Huawei 5G is an example; u.s. and a handful of its anglo-saxon sidekick nations can refuse to work with Huawei all they want but let's face it, Huawei has replaced american telecom in most of asia, almost all of africa and all of south america along with parts of europe. american telecom is no where in these locations or at best, with a minor presence where they have to work under Chinese influence. Huawei is about to start 5G pilot projects in Pakistan even. this is one example of how american business is being replaced by Chinese business. Pakistan, in the face of potential sancitons, WILL capitalize on this. It serves Chinese global ambitions to blunt any effect of american sanctions against anyone by neutralizing it through trade with China.
Both China and USA are economic giants and two of the largest markets in the world. Any person with even a rudimentary understanding of global financial trends can understand that how both USA and China are able to influence global financial trends.
Problem is that if USA is angry and hostile to a much less developed economy, it will not flourish no matter what it does. I mentioned two examples in my previous response. There are additional examples as well.
I disagree. a good example is the once upon a time failed nation of somalia. usa created utter chaos there but look at them today, China was the catalyst that not only stabilized somalia but also brought it back to the status of a developing 3rd world nation. it actually HAS a GDP growth for cryin' out loud, something that was a laughable thought merely 5 years ago...
2.40 GDP growth rate is actually pretty decent for a nation that was considered as a failed state with warlords running around and a nonexistent economy.
Virtually failed states can exist and function in this day and age as well but these countries have appeal and future unless they have internal revolutions and/or shift in geopolitics.
In an ideal world, Pakistan can do well while being totally indifferent to USA but this is a misleading perception grounded in mental hubris. Some are building castles in the sky in their wild imaginations.
Pakistan IS steering itself away from all economic dependence on the u.s. from what I could tell. military dependance on the u.s. is long gone thanks to advanced Chinese weaponary. The same is being done to economic dependance on the u.s. rest assured, the Pakistani deep state has shown all indications of steering the country away from all american influences, be it political, social or economic...the day when we will be indifferent to american sanctions is not far away, we will be seeing our leaders looking at american sanctions with a smirk while making comments like "oh look, how cute, sanctions again"...
jokes aside, americans have seen that we CAN become vicious diplomatically. they have seen how we have put their bedroom bitch india on the diplomatic defensive through our own diplomatic maneuvering and america has a LOT to hide, by way of war crimes and other crimes against humanity. they would be utterly stupid to call out our abilities as a bluff given what they have seen.
Pakistani options should be informed by hard data and credible economic risk evaluations from authentic financial experts, and not on the basis of wild imaginations.
If USA becomes openly hostile to Pakistan, what will be our options? This is the million dollar question to ponder over.
Anyways, in regards to this topic, I do not think that there are sufficient number of senators onboard. WE are good for now.
bro, usa has been openly hostile since 2012. I don't know if you remember, but there was a time post salala when Pakistan had cut off all supplies to afghanistan, there were open programs on fox channels with there "military experts" and "former navy seals turned analysts" barfing crap obout how the president has put the us fleets on high alert and how they will attack and forcefully open the supply routes, I've even seen discussions about their redneck yahoos uttering nothings like "how in the first wave, 3 supply routes will be secured and then under the air cover of apaches, jsoc will start hunting down and confiscating Pakistan's nuclear weapons" and what not...kia hua? NOTHING! ZILCH! ZAPATA! secretary of state hillary had to ultimately apologize, zaleel ho kay bil aakhir maafi maang ni parhi.
bottom line, Imran Khan is no fool and nor is the Military Establishment. rest assured that war-gaming for all scenarios has already been done. In the words of NSA Moeed Yusuf, its not about geopolitics anymore, its all about geoeconomics; the old wrinkly farts here in capital hill haven't grasped the depth of this.
