Skyrocketing Expectations in US: How to Handle it in Pakistan?

[countryman]

Abstract: In my view, we need to carefully assess our future course of actions. We need to maintain our relationships with US because they're bigger export partner but not only that they've great influence on rest of our trade partner as well.

Following points might be helpful in drafting new foreign policy:

1. "Pakistan First" must be clearly communicated to all of our special interest allies.
2. We need to stop taking money from AIDs and Assistance.
3. We should focus exposing hostile foreign policies recently while maintaining balanced if good posture not possible.
4. We must convey the world that we'll not give up our defense at any cost.
5. Terrorism is common enemy and we support every effort to eradicate terrorism.
6. We're against "State Terrorism" and at-least we will not stand in favor of that state if we could not stand against it.
7. Induce both Afghan Govt and Taliban to do more for their own good and take care of their mess.
8. Last but not least, we want good relations with whole world

Full Text:
I sometime ask myself why would other impose their decisions on us? What makes them think we're bound to do things for them? The only answer I find is that: it is due to our weaknesses. These are our weaknesses that world thinks our policies are hostile but not US policies, world sees us threat but not US, and so on.

Things started with our past desperate decisions. Believe it or not, we sold our loyalty once for money and protection - we continued and people in world outside started thinking like we're whore for sale - not only that would sell our family for money. It was desperate time when we did that - even we were looking for respectable relationship - we all know the history. Pakistan - US went along well for sometimes, however, cracks started appearing during 1965's war. However, until the fall of soviet union - US had key strategic interest in our geo-location and that is why we went along despite differences. However, after the fall of soviet union - US interest here became less valuable than before and they re-adjusted the price of loyalty to match the downgraded value. I think that is fair enough.

They even imposed sanctions in coming years. In 2001 they needed us again and we opened up everything like we do - for whatever reason. But this time, it was failure on part of our government that they named pure trade of interests as 'AID' once again.

Now, America's prime target today is China. They know we'll not stand against or let anyone use our land against China but rather will be with China if our interest matched, so, they brought India into equation. India is bigger economy and great potential market for American products. India thinks itself as competitor of China, have pro-America and anti-China sentiment and maybe one day they'll be willing to fight America's war of revenge as well. These all things make US and India potentially good and undeniable allies on their China policy.

But not only that, India makes a good ally of America on their Pakistan policy as well. US interest in Pakistan is recently shifted to disarming and disintegrating Pakistan, so, we can be permanently neutralized. India also have keen interest in disarming, destabilizing and finally disintegrating Pakistan. This makes them good allies on strategies relating Pakistan as well. US have proved their hostility by threatening us of suffocating economically. They say Pakistan's security concerns towards India are baseless and exaggerated, but in fact they're part of this great game now and everyone knows what great game that is.

But that was only external situation; internally, we're not self sustaining economy and economic will be greatly impeded if world see us as threat. We've huge trade deficit, large pile of debt, unexploited natural resources, under-utilized or unskilled human resources, immense of corruption, low level of industrialization and technology and so on. We need the world and world needs us.

Given all these realities and USA's new Afghan policy and threats, we need to carefully assess our future course of actions. We need to maintain our relationships with US because they're bigger export partner but not only that they've great influence on rest of our trade partner as well. Change in our foreign policy is in editable, however, however we need balanced approach not emotional one. Following may be useful (from the opinion of an ordinary Pakistani):

• Firstly, we must convey our special interest allies that if they want to work with us they must know that we'll always choose "Pakistan First" and will never scarify our national interest for their interest. Our foreign policy somehow reflects image of that whore I mentioned above. We need to take all necessary changes in our foreign policy and actions to remove that clumsy image associated with us.

• Secondly, I think we need to stop taking money from AIDs and Assistance. For coalitions, make better deals that will induce those countries with special interests to pay for our services as price and don't let them name it 'AID'.

• Thirdly, what it seems to me, US-Pakistan relations is already a dead end. We're well aware of their hostile intentions in terms of their future interests in Pakistan and also we know that they're working with India as Plan B to peruse their interests in region. But still we need to maintain acceptable relationships with US - there are good and bad people in every society. Our differences are with bad US policies not people. We should focus exposing hostile foreign policies recently directed towards Pakistan while maintaining balanced if good posture not possible.

• Fourthly, our foreign policy should clearly reflect our defense will priority and we must convey the world that we'll not give up our defense at any cost. Any conversation on disarming or abandoning any required future development will never be entertained. However, we must convey our willingness to work with others to ensure our arsenal only lethal for our enemy and is safe for others.

• Fifthly, world must know that we don't favor rebellion but we believe in human rights and we're against gross human rights violations at individual as well as at state level. We will not stand in favor of any such oppressing state.

• Sixth, terrorism is common enemy, we'll do every effort not to let anyone use our land to commit act of terrorism in other countries. However, like mentioned before we don't favor rebellion but we're strictly against gross human rights violations. We'll not accept labeling any rightful struggle against oppressing elements as 'terrorism'.

• Seventh, there is some discrepancy in our Afghan policy. If American policy haven't succeeded in Afghanistan for last 16 years, our policy post-soviet policy towards Afghanistan haven't succeeded either. Being neighbor of Afghanistan we've bigger stack in anything that happens in Afghanistan. We've hosted millions of refugees for decades but we must do some diplomacy for their better future in their own country. We should step up or efforts to bring not only Talibans to negotiating table but also to Afghan Govt. We don't have many options in this regard. Diplomatic efforts to induce America to rethink is only way forward. Also, we should focus on repatriating Afghan refugees on priority because these poor stranded people have their future on stack and as decades are passing they're becoming strangers in their own country.

• Lastly, we want good relationships with world, especially with our neighbors.

Also we need to workout our internal weaknesses on priority because world is becoming more volatile every coming day. Following are necessary actions to make our up coming policy successful:

• Firstly, we must continue our fight against terrorism - we don't need certificate from others for this.
• Secondly, we know our western border is vulnerable - proper fence and border management should done at priority to avoid terrorists and Indian spies slipping into our country.
• Thirdly, our people these regions are vulnerable - law and order is essential. We need to bring people of FATA in confidence and merge FATA into KPK (in my personal view FATA doesn't have enough revenue of its own to be separate province).
• Fourthly, We need to make sure that terrorist network don't emerge again. The main reason for people fall in terrorism trap is extreme poverty - because they don't have anything else to do. Creating opportunities in these region will reduce people joining terrorism.
• Fifthly, We need to standardize and regulate religious seminaries - hate elements are using religion for their vicious agendas. We need to provide good alternatives of basic religious education in schools instead. Compulsory Teaching of Holy Quran Bill 2017 is very good step
• lastly but most importantly, we should focus on building self sustaining economy.

Huh! That was long! What is your opinion?

 

[imadul]

Goodness, a PhD thesis
Ppl would have read if it's been short.

 

[Sunan]

Non sense..

 

[countryman]

Goodness, a PhD thesis
Ppl would have read if it's been short.

Haha! Yeah, sorry, it's long. But we're discussing country's policy. Real policy makers go to great lengths in formulating real policies - discuss every possible strength and weakness and every possible effect because the countries' policies determine fate of its people. That is why real policies are not statements tweeted on twitter but the bunch of pages filed in folders. It was not for everyone to read and those who should read will appreciate details of course.
Also, you know, abstract is usually sufficient to give idea about whole document if someone wants quick review.