Daily Times

It is stupendous on part of Sartaj Aziz to blame Hussain Haqqani for failure of Pakistan’s foreign policy czars to protect national interests or influence thinking in Washington. An individual, no matter how powerful or influential, cannot affect foreign policy of a country. Actually, the factors responsible for compromising our interests are some of our outdated policies and governance-related failure at home. Those policies and failures need urgent attention of government officials like Aziz. A blame game cannot help in this regard in anyway.

It is not Hussain Haqqani who scuttled Pakistan’s relationship with the US but, primarily, Pakistan’s policies toward Afghanistan and Taliban have done it. Pakistan and Afghanistan are not only two neighbour countries but Muslim as well. From the genesis of Pakistan the relationship between the two neighbours is a victim of ebb and flow, especially after the withdrawal of Russian forces. Pakistan has an old concept — the so-called “strategic depth” — to establish a pro-Pakistan government in Afghanistan so as to allay Indian influence and elude being sandwiched, and to get the pro-Pakistan government to recognise the Durand Line as an international border. However, it is a wild goose chase concept. To attain success in this regard Pakistan left no stone unturned. Pakistan partially succeeded in 1994 by establishing the Taliban government in Kabul (1994-2000), but failed to get the Durand Line recognised by that government.

Pakistan’s dual policies in the wake of US attack on Afghanistan also played a part in damaging the Pakistan-US relations. Pakistan also became a partner with the US in toppling of Taliban government in 2001. Pakistan was the first Muslim country that leased airbases to US air force to bombard Taliban in Kabul. On one side, Pakistan is a non-NATO ally of America in the war against Taliban, and on the other side, Pakistan also provides or provided safe havens to Taliban in border areas in Balochistan and FATA. Such havens do not allow both states to make any breakthrough in their relations.

Killing of Osama bin laden and Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Pakistan soil also soured the relationship between the US and Pakistan. Pakistan is also funding religious seminaries, which is one of the main sources of training of Taliban who travel to Afghanistan and kill American and Afghan soldiers and personnel.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government allocated three million rupees to Darul Uloom Haqqania, dubbed as the “university of jihad.” The head of the madrassa is Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Sami), who proudly calls himself the “father of Taliban.” The madrassa not only recruits the Taliban but also provides training to them. What lesson Pakistan is conveying to the US? Such planting and watering game of Taliban at Pakistan do not allow the US to extend the hand of true friendship toward Pakistan.

Dr Shakeel Afridi is also a headache between Pakistan and the US. Afridi has been jailed by Pakistan authorities for spying on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad. Pakistan considers him a traitor, while the US terming him a hero lauds his efforts for the nabbing of the world’s most notorious terrorist.

Furthermore, one reason for our failed foreign policy is the absence of a foreign minister. For the last three years, the prime minister has kept the portfolio of foreign minister, although some power has been delegated to advisors and other assistants. Our security establishment influences our foreign policy due to the absence of a formal foreign minister, which is against the basic principle of democracy. In a democracy parliament is supreme, and the cabinet is answerable to it. Parliament can take military into confidence on key national security issues, but all decisions related to foreign affairs are to be made in parliament not in the General Headquarters. Aziz is a competent person with years of experience, but he now appears to lack enthusiasm due to his old age. Therefore, it is the need of the hour that a full-time foreign minister be appointed to reset our tenuous relationship with the US. The prime minister should appoint a foreign minister who is free to make his own decisions, and is answerable to Islamabad, not to Rawalpindi.

Hussain Haqqani is a competent scholar, journalist, academic, and political activist. Perhaps, he has earned a good name in America due to his services as a former Pakistani ambassador to the US (2008-2011). But any influence that he may have is personal, and thus he is no position to effect the US foreign policy toward Pakistan or any other state. If Haqqani is so powerful as to effect the foreign policy of the US, then probably Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs should work hard to influence his opinion rather than treating him as an outcast.

Pakistan should introspect its outdated policies at home instead of blaming Hussain Haqqani or any other individual, inside or outside Pakistan. Pakistan should rebrand its image learning from the mistakes of the past that have affected its relationships with the US and other countries.

The writer is law student at Islamia College University, Peshawar, he can be reached at khetran65@gmail.com