Daily Times

Once upon a good time there was a concept of a solid nation state holding good for about two centuries. However, the first two decades of the 21st century saw the tight fixture of nation-state being unwound, ravaged, challenged, and stretched to test the mettle it is made of- a proof of time.

This happens when the roles are swapped. A swap where the guarantor becomes the plunderer, the watchdog a looter and the policeman a rapist. Built around the unflinching rule of international law that big-fish will eat the small and weak is enslaved by the powerful, United States switched on the Great Game to reshape maps for a Greater Middle East. Still, it did not consider how much water had passed under the bridge since they had the last round of the Game between the two World Wars. United States timed it to ‘perfection’ when its pundits thought Soviets are buried deep under rubble of cold war and China is still asleep, while Muslims are nowhere noticeable in international arena.

USA started to unfold a busy and complicated game of chess laid around the events of 9/11, Iraqi WMDs, Arab Spring, and Tehreer Square. Meanwhile China grew to become mover and shaker of the world economy and Russia came out of its ‘deep burial’ place in Red Square to its fields of adventure in Crimea and Syria. This game attracted all the global and regional players.

When plans of super powers do not go as planned they start moving heavens and earth and USA did the same. USA under the Greater Middle East Initiative (GMEI) started to thrust its new maps based on ethnic and sectarian divide within Muslim lands. It was not strange that United States included Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan in the usual ME. Besides fiddling the strings in Kurdistan, western support to Baloch separatists now openly operating from Switzerland, Germany and other European countries was seemed part of GMEI. Time will tell whether the West wants to establish a new country called Greater Balochistan or just trimming the geography or gaining strategic leverages from Pakistan.

It was all part of what Condoleeza Rice termed “The Birth Pangs of a New Middle East” under her tactical implementation strategy of “Creative Chaos”. United States drew Iran in the game while giving it virtually a free hand to locally manage Baghdad from Tehran and manipulate Syrian, Lebanese, Yemenites, and Bahrain’s Shi’a population. Over the time, the Iranian mandate of ‘local management’ got entangled in region without having resources to come out of it peacefully. Almost in the same way, United States gave Daesh all the space and wherewithal for playing havoc not only in Iraq but also in Syria and very lately in Afghanistan too. So one can understand how the very guarantors of international law axed the foundation of the very elements of nation-state which they claimed to be guarding.

Russia has smooth backs to ride on like Iran and Syria in Middle East while USA had to flip flop rides, from Saudi to Qatari, Pakistani to Indian, and Turkish to Kurdish. But the most dangerous ride USA counted on is Daesh. Hamid Karzai the old Bush confidant spoke volumes about US chinooks which were allegedly used to transport Daesh recruits from one place to the other in Afghanistan in order to defeat their most ferocious enemies the Tehrik-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA). Reports also appeared in international media about sudden appearance of Daesh mercenaries in Tora bora mountain range and US gunships not engaging them even though they were in striking range. Same was the feeling in Pakistan’s intelligence community who took presence of Daesh as threat against already violence affected Pakistan. Besides, presence of considerable numbers of Pakistani fighters (both Sunni and Shia) who fought in Middle East just needed an encouragement to light the fire of terrorism in the country. Daesh leadership in Afghanistan showed interest in recruitment of Pakistani youth and also planned limited operations against security forces and intelligence agencies in Pakistan. Like minded groups and potential recruits operated at will orchestrating incidents like Safoora Goth massacre in Karachi.

Pakistan is a federation but despite being ethnologically diverse and culturally varied, it is regarded as a nation state due to its ideological basis on which it fought for its independence as a separate nation

TTA did not show a will to sit on negotiating table with American and allied forces since every time they sat to negotiate a deal, TTA end up being killed either in a drone strike or an killing ambush. TTA’s was not satisfied despite the US assurance and claims that it was serious in eliminating Daesh in Afghanistan. TTA knew that $ 300 million mother of all non-nuclear bombs dropped on Daesh hideout in Afghanistan killed not more than 100 Daesh members and it was merely eyewash. On the other hand optimists in Pakistan’s intelligence waited for good news about elimination of Daesh leadership who were spinning the fabric of troubles for intelligence agencies in Pakistan, but they ended up being disappointed since Daesh leadership remained unhurt and potent as before. Now the intelligence officers in Pakistan were also learning that it was probably to enforce public perception that USA was seriously pursuing Daesh in Afghanistan.

The events do no end here and the intriguingconspiracy stories go on. However, one way or by the other, Pakistan remains an important character in entire Netflix style strategic conspiracy drama. While acting their role out in the past, people of Pakistan slowly grasped some shallow understanding that there is no permanent friend or a foe for Pakistan.The only thing that remains permanent for Pakistan and for the others is the interest of a country dealing with Pakistan. In such a situation it has always been priority for Pakistan to safe guard its own interests.

Pakistan is a federation but despite being ethnologically diverse and culturally varied, it is regarded as a nation state due to its ideological basis on which it fought for its independence as a separate nation. Keeping the identity of this nation state is now a challenge in its self. How and what should keep this Nation tied together is a big question for the people as well for those running affairs at the helms of the affairs today. Pakistan’s external as well as internal environment tests the resilience of its nation statehood from time to time. From new brands of capitalists or anti-capitalists to the sub-nationalist or militant lone wolves that may marry up with global sponsors, the country has to grow strong against a myriad of threats. The government as well as the people of Pakistan need to stay united as a nation to play a constructive role in regional as well as global politics.

The writer is a versatile analyst and a speaker on contemporary issues