South Asia has been known to the world for two reasons: rapid population growth and the Kashmir dispute. These two problems have always affected the region’s economic and social standards of living. The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) came into existence in 1985. SAARC was established to increase regional co-operation in all fields of life so that the socioeconomic problems of the region could be resolved. In this regard, some important steps have been taken. For example, the South Asian University has been established in New Delhi so that students from all member nations can study together and learn from each other’s norms and culture.
Another significant thing was the charter of SAARC. In the charter, all unresolved disputes had been set aside by the member nations to avoid any kind of confrontation. The aim was to firstly enhance regional co-operation, and develop a kind of regional balance among all the member nations, and then gradually address and resolve all disputes. The motive and ambition behind SAARC were clear, and also organised in a way that if the member nations followed them in full spirit, it was expected that eventually most of the problems of the region would be resolved.
This year’s SAARC conference was scheduled to be held in Pakistan. And it was expected that all heads of states of member nations would attend the conference, but it seems that the new rising tensions between Pakistan and India have sabotaged the conference. The new hegemonic leader of the region, one way or another, played a negative role in this regard. India not only cancelled its own attendance, it has also pressurised the weaker and smaller neighbours like Bhutan and Bangladesh to skip the conference. The fourth member of this hegemonic regional alliance is Afghanistan. Sri Lanka followed suit. It is clear that the SAARC conference is not taking place this year. The power games of the new hegemonic leader has made the situation worse for one of the world’s poorest and most-populated regions.
Since the establishment of SAARC India’s role has always remained a matter of concern. A decade ago, India’s issues with Bangladesh and Nepal created problems. It is true that India is the most powerful member nation of the organisation, but that does not mean that India should always control the smaller member nations for its own interests in the region.
One must not forget that Pakistan would never accept India’s hegemonic role, and there are certain reasons for that. For the last 69 years Pakistan’s establishment has been criticised for its belligerent attitude towards India. But recently, the way the government of India has reacted to the Uri attack is unacceptable, as it has blamed Pakistan without any strong evidence. Such an attitude does not bode well for the overall peace of the region.
Another important factor is the role of SAARC. For the last two decades, since its emergence, SAARC has not been able to make any significant impact; it could be said that SAARC has not been able to create regional harmony or equity. From day one, India has been trying to pressurise and monopolise the smaller nations, and in that background, there are some serious question marks on the effectiveness of SAARC. Rarely as in 2002 the SAARC summit proved to be fruitful. It was in that summit that the then president of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf, regardless of tension between Pakistan and India, shook hands with the then prime minister of India. Things seemed to start to normalise after that handshake.
Now the future of SAARC is also on stake. It is time for Pakistan’s policy-making institutions to decide on which side of the field they plan to stand. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is supposed to be an economic game changer for Pakistan, is now becoming a source of a new regional dispute. One thing is clear: Pakistan’s economic future is linked with CPEC, and it is integral for Pakistan to stand firm with the Chinese government to complete the project.
The future of SAARC lies in Pakistan’s hand; one way to deal with the problem is that Pakistan should also boycott SAARC. Political implications of such a decision may be too hard to handle, and therefore, Pakistan must be pragmatic and wait for the right time. The need of the hour is to stand firm and try to develop new regional ties. The visit of Russian forces for a combined military exercise and Iran’s willingness to be a part of CPEC are positive signs of stability of Pakistan’s stature in the region. Other SAARC members like Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh should not be allowed to affect the regional or global significance of Pakistan. If Pakistan’s economic future has been connected with China and CPEC, then a new strategic shift is essential to decide the new direction of regional politics.
The writer is a freelance columnist and can be reached at [email protected]