Daily Times

“The Pakistani nation is a brave nation. One of the greatest British generals said that the best infantry fighters in the world are the Pakistanis. We will fight. We will fight for a thousand years, if it comes to that….I find it disgraceful to my person and to my country to remain here a moment longer than is necessary. I am not boycotting. Impose, impose any decision, have a treaty worse than the Treaty of Versailles, legalise aggression, legalise occupation, legalise everything that has been illegal upto 15 December 1971. I will not be a party to it. We will fight; we will go back and fight. My country beckons me.”

Historic words by a historic leader. These words are as relevant today as they were in 1971. When Pakistan is being bullied by an ignoramus in the Oval Office, and Modi is in charge of India, I miss ShaheedZulfiqar Ali Bhutto more than ever. It was under his visionary leadership that our foreign policy saw the most drastic and fruitful changes that established our cooperation with Afro-Asian countries and regional powers. Clear attestation to Bhutto’s abilities came from Henry Kissinger, who proclaimed him as “a man of extraordinary abilities, capable of drawing close to any country that served Pakistan’s national interests.”

Our foreign policy is in disarray not only because of shortage of leaders like Shaheed Bhutto, but because of an incompetent leader like Nawaz Sharif, who refused to designate a Foreign Minister for four years. I have served Pakistan in a Foreign Mission. Hence, I firmly believe that diplomacy is the first line of defence for any country. Due to a meek foreign policy we have put ourselves in a position where Trump and Modi can scorn us as openly, as they have. It is during these dire times that we are still benefitting from some of Bhutto’s policies. It was Shaheed Bhutto who established close relations with China and thawed relations with Russia which enabled Pakistan to attain tremendous geo-political and geo-strategic advantage. It was Shaheed Bhutto who emphasized on the importance of acquiring modern defence systems and established Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at Kamra, Heavy Forge and Foundry, Heavy Mechanical Complex, Heavy Re-build Factory at Taxila and Pakistan Steel Mill at Karachi. Furthermore, Bhutto envisaged the necessity of a Muslim Bloc, and hence pioneered the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Our foreign policy is in disarray not only because of shortage of leaders like Shaheed Bhutto, but also because of  incompetence of current leader like Nawaz Sharif, who refused to designate a Foreign Minister for four years. I firmly believe that diplomacy is the first line of defence for any country: and due to a meek foreign policy we have put ourselves in a position where Trump and Modi can scorn us openly

Perhaps the greatest gift of Bhutto was the foundation of Pakistan’s Nuclear Program. “If India makes an atomic bomb, then we will also do so, even if we have to eat grass…..An atom bomb can only be answered by an atom bomb.” I have no doubt that in the absence of our nuclear capabilities today, we would have been at the mercy of India, or worse: more like Afghanistan. Even then, we were threatened by America as Henry Kissinger notoriously threatened Bhutto with the words “we will make a horrible example out of you.” But no threats were enough to dissuade a brave leader like Bhutto. Can we imagine Nawaz Sharif rebuke Trump like this? I don’t think so. With Bhutto, would Pakistan have taken this long to respond to Trump’s threats? I think not.

It is reported that when Shaheed Benazir Bhutto called her father after the 1971 UNSC speech, he said “I didn’t storm out, I walked out. It was too much of a farce. I had to inject some truth.” Truth is the need of the hour. True and honest leadership that highlights the sovereignty of Pakistan and re-established our honour on a Global scale. Bhutto taught us that our foreign policy needs to be dynamic and robust. In an ever changing world, we require a dynamic and visionary statesman who can alter our current scenario and provide us with the future we deserve.

The writer is former Pakistan Diplomat and currently chairman of an NGO. He tweets @nadirgabol

Published in Daily Times, September 2^nd 2017.