Daily Times

The changed regional policy of United States of America as evident from President Donald Trump’s 21st August speech accusing Pakistan of ‘harbouring agents of chaos’ challenging permanent peace in Afghanistan is certainly disturbing for Pakistan. America has choreographed its South Asia policy, offering greater role to India in the region in order to scuttle China’s regional ascendancy and to nip into bud the renewed fledgling assertion of Russia.

Since China has had enough investment in Pakistan and for Americans creating problems for its stakes in Pakistan is the priority now. India, the nemesis of both the China and Pakistan, is the best suitable tool for American leadership to do its proxy against two countries. This is what New Delhi has been doing while sitting in Kabul. Primary focus of India is the simmering in Balochistan which it has been stoking by abetting militants, and some shreds of irrefutable evidence suggest that it is also fomenting sectarian unrest in the province.

To believe the confessional statements of Kulbhushan Yadhav, an Indian spy arrested in March last year from Balochistan; sabotage and espionage activities against naval installations both in Karachi and Balochistan are carried out by Indian sponsored sleuths. Recent reports of posters displayed in Geneva expressing solidarity with the secessionist elements in Balochistan should also not be seen in isolation.

India may create water crisis for Pakistan by constructing dams on rivers in violation of World Bank brokered Indus Water Treaty or by fiddling with the river waters to affect the flow to Pakistan, thereby, causing adverse impact on the agriculture-based economy of the country

Pakistan has been battling the externally abetted anarchist elements with remarkable success and the palatable halt in the terrorist acts across the country is the testimony to that. Not being able to cause major dent to Pakistan through terror mongers, the detractors of country are now most likely to target the national harmony of the country. Sectarian schism, racial phantom, communal cleavages, ethnic biases are the areas likely to be sharpened and harnessed under some clandestine mechanism. Indo-US agenda is to create a situation where internal socio-ethnic harmony is disturbed leading to multiple insurmountable challenges for the state. The latter and the common folk must realise the schemes of the hostile hands. It is the outbreak of animosity between USA and China and Pakistan is also feeling the heat for obvious reasons.

The other gray area could be creating unnecessary fuss over river waters. India may create water crisis for Pakistan by constructing dams on rivers in violation of World Bank brokered Indus Water Treaty or by fiddling with the river waters to render the flow irregular to Pakistan thereby causing adverse impact on agriculture based economy of the country. We are already a water-starved country with oft-recurring inter-provincial differences over the water sharing mechanism particularly between Punjab and Sindh. The situation may worsen in the face of Indian encroachment against rivers’ flow. Acute shortage of water or irregularity in flow is likely to encourage internal wrangles causing more polarisation in the country when the agro-based economy of the population will get upset.

Continual political bickering has been causing diversion to nation’s attention from the impending schemes of troika Indo-US-Afghanistan against Pakistan. The recent ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after superior judiciary ruled against him created political ripples. How this prevailing political situation will be of America’s utility is difficult to say at the moment. Military leadership of the country also appears to be reluctant to do US bidding this time. Apprehensions are that current political whirlwind gathered after apex court’s decision against Muhammad Nawaz Sharif may be exploited to the disadvantage of the internal situation leading to possible instability in country. How American leadership would manage to give birth to such a situation is difficult to say for certain but it is believed that American CIA, Pentagon and States Department are in sync for creating circumstances unfavourable for Chinese investment in Pakistan. Pakistani leadership, both military and civilian is in no mood to ditch China by spoiling the massive investment inroads the country has made in Pakistan.

To thwart these likely plots, a strong national cohesion is required. Forces unfriendly towards Pakistan first used terror-monger outfits, but failed to cause major disruption in country and now perhaps they would make an attempt at the socio-communal fibre of the nation. There is a need to make people aware of such schemes. Any internal disorder is likely to jeopardise the territorial sanctity of the country. It is a war for regional supremacy with the USA and its allies on one side and China and Russia with their like-minded allies on the other.

Not being able to cause major harm to Pakistan through terror mongers, the detractors are now most likely to target national harmony in the country. Sectarian schism, racial phantom, communal cleavages, and ethnic biases are the areas likely to be sharpened and harnessed under some clandestine mechanism

The recent visit of foreign minister to Iran, Turkey and China is a good effort to garner support in the wake of America’s emerging hard posture towards Pakistan, but the need of hour is to make the nation aware of machinations of the non-friendly forces wanting to create chaos and tumultuous situation by setting one segment of society against the other. National unity with wisdom and sagacity should work as bulwark against such nefarious designs.

The rough-and-tumble in our socio-communal fabric can best be addressed with patience and consistent efforts at the national level so that exploiters’ efforts can be thwarted. Iran with invincible ‘national unity’ withstanding continual international pressure is the best example to refer here. While flurry of activities of foreign minister shaping Pakistan’s view abroad is commendable, strengthening the nation within by promoting ‘national integration’ is also needed.

The writer is freelance contributor. He blogs at https://malibaloch.wordpress.com/and can be reached on twitter @M_Abaloch

Published in Daily Times, September 26^th 2017.