Daily Times

Two intimidating and pressurising happenings for Pakistan in the last week would certainly require more serious contemplation on strategic and tactical external relations by the government at home. The foremost is the verbal assault by the Indian government and their army chief. Second is the US State Department’s annual country report on terrorism that has shown dissatisfaction over Pakistan’s performance. The question is if both of these ‘happenings’ are interlinked?

New Delhi’s backing out of the foreign ministers’ meeting and their army chief’s statement has no significant repercussions for Pakistan. If anything, it is business as usual. India has done this time and again, just for meagre political gains within their country or on the direction of their almighty lords to set an anti-Pakistan tone on the international horizons. No worries, India will keep this up in the future as well, regardless of whoever is in the Indian or Pakistani government. Pakistan needs to look beyond the Indian government statements, and link them to other strategic moves emerging from different corners. We should not review New Delhi’s statements and the US State Department report separately.

Regardless of whatever hijinks the Modi government engages in, the swirling political moods of the Indian government cannot help them stop the ever damaging storms of scandals of corruption, human rights violations, and flouting of the public mandate.

Using Pakistan as a scapegoat will not help the Modi regime. Bashing and threatening Pakistan will not help India slow down or wipe off the separatist movements threatening its own unity and integrity. Jingoistic antics may get Modi’s party some votes from a few bigoted Indian citizens (who are a minority) in the forthcoming elections, but it won’t help consolidate regional peace and harmony.

India should realise that it will gain nothing by sowing seeds of hatred on the regional and international socio-political fronts against Pakistan. Their threats could be fatal for the friendly neighbourhood that could pave a path for their trade and economic land route to Afghanistan; mutually beneficial trade between both countries; and moreover, the benefits of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that is being termed as a game-changer for the region.

With the Saudi Arabia agreeing to be a strategic partner in the CPEC, regional economic stability is expected to be stretched beyond common expectations. Pakistan, a nuclear state, is central to regional economic stability. Any badly thought out move by India or any other country could cast the entire region into chaos.

Jingoistic antics may get Modi’s party some votes from a few bigoted Indian citizens (who are a minority) in the forthcoming elections, but it won’t help consolidate regional peace and harmony

Rest assured, Pakistan’s defence forces are vigilant, alert and capable of meeting any challenge at any moment. No one should doubt this. The people of Pakistan are also ready to support their military forces. The ever increasing public reaction against US policies in the region is a red-alert for US diplomacy. Washington needs to review its interventions in the South Asian region.

Showing dissatisfaction over Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism won’t serve the US’s objectives, though it could embarrass Pakistan internationally. Every citizen believes that Pakistan should not continue serving as a slave or a servant against the tactical rivals and enemies of the US. The public reaction has been even stronger after the US stopped $800 million Coalition Support Fund (CSF) reimbursements. The public cannot forget the money of F-16 fighters that was not returned to Pakistan.

If US is not satisfied over Pakistan’s efforts in eliminating terrorism or achieving tactical results for them, Pakistanis are also disappointed by the deceitful US actions. Before pressurising Pakistan, the US should clearly prove to be a friend of Pakistan for its role in the regional economic growth and political stability on the basis of equality and justice.

No doubt, Pakistan has faced numerous problems for decades now, which have weakened its social, political and economic fabric. Quite unluckily, many insane political and strategic decisions have created enemies within the country. Its irrational decisions gave undue chances to its external enemies to unite and bind themselves against the country’s tactical and strategic objectives.

Over the recent years, Pakistan has thought of strategies to reverse the impact of its role in the cold war against USSR and the longest-ever fought US proxy war in Afghanistan. The citizens don’t want to remain in the untoward situation anymore. So, intimidating Pakistan by India or pressurising by the US on terrorism won’t serve any purpose anymore.

The writer is an Islamabad-based policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed

Published in Daily Times, September 26^th 2018.