PAKISTAN FOREIGN POLICY - By: Sikander Shah

Since decades Pakistan foreign policy has remained under the clouds of the Army. Foreign policy and Internal domestic policy are bridged by a very thin line Therefore, it would be correct to assume one policy has a direct influence on the other. If a country is internally strong, it will be reflected in the foreign policy to enjoy a status of respect and it would be vice versa if a country is internally weak.
Currently Pakistan has a dummy hostile government remotely controlled by a deposed PM whole sole objective is to retain his power and safe guard his wealth at the cost of the State. Therefore State governance is at its lowest ebb making it vulnerable to foreign pressures whose prime objective is to disintegrate Pakistan. For four and half years the State had no foreign minister that made it further vulnerable to foreign conspiracies. Since decades Pakistan has been involved in a war that is not of its own making. It has not only drained the State economy but killed thousands of its citizens and soldiers. There does not seem to be any solution to its ending in the very far future.
There is a State misconception that the Americans are totally dependent of Pakistan to continue its presence in Afghanistan for logistic support and finding a peaceful solution to Afghanistan. It is very possible that the American policy may have changed in favour of peace. Their concept of peace may have been hidden under the clouds of keeping the region destabilized to contain China, to drain China economy in building its military and to keep their factories churn military hardware to keep their economy floating.
Trump has been foolishly tweeting since he took over as President but his New Year Tweet against Pakistan has many warnings to recon. There could be a fake incursion into Pakistan territory just to prove their assertion of Pakistan harbouring terrorists. This could result in Pakistan being subjected to sanctions. Already, the economic support aid and sale of military hardware has been stopped. Pakistan could be included in the list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering America. This will affect the State economy.
Now let us examine how prepared is the State to face such an American pressure. Internationally it enjoys the status of being an Epi centre of world terrorism. The State has a government that is totally hostile to it. It has a bankrupt economy. It has an ongoing insurgency spread throughout the country. It has a political leadership that is totally divided and only focussed on self interest to contest the coming election. It has a radical clergy that showed a glimpse of setting the country on fire during the last Islamabad Dharna. The armed forces are fully engaged in a state of war in its own territory. Sectarianally, it is split into several sects that can light a fire through a small provocation.
Can all the above give any semblance of a stable State. Does the army that has a strong influence on foreign policy has any road map to steer the country forward. CEPEC, that has been blindly propagated as Game changer for Pakistan has all the signs of usurping our sovereignty. Knowing our national mindset, the State will take this easy option to stay afloat.
Last week I proposed a very soft option to the State (Army) that will not only surmount the internal problems but give a befitting reply to Trump without any provocation. Further, it will secure our borders, put the country on economic climb, strengthen the State internally, reverse the State image on terrorism, eliminate insurgency by rehabilitating radicals not only in Pakistan but Afghanistan, forcing all US troops to withdraw from the region with dignity, making South West Asia the Epi-centre of world economy that the West has been fearing and forming a global economic centre in West Asia that will extend from Russia to Turkey, Jordon and Israel.
The nitty gritty of all the above cannot be written in just in one page. It will need a comprehensive presentation by me. Since the nation does not have a reading habit, this proposal will find its usual dust bin.

Posted on Jan 08, 18 | 5:34 am