Daily Times

Last week’s happenings indicate that dangers to world peace are still around the corner, and much needs to be done for cooperative co-existence, strategic decisions, integration and a death blow to terrorism and extremism. The new world order that we can visualise has to ensure human dignity and self-respect, and an environment free of hate and violence. Regional peace is linked to resolution of Pakistan-India dispute, including the Kashmir issue. Islamabad and New Delhi need to work together. Pakistan’s foreign policy was based on objectives of peace, stability and prosperity internationally, and in our relations with India, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said. He also stressed upon the need to strengthen ties, speaking at a function in New Delhi.

Strategic rather than political decisions highlight the importance of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), not Pakistan and India contesting for entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The meeting of the group in Seoul rejected India’s bid in clear terms, reiterating that the NPT would remain the basic guiding principle of the non-proliferation regime. For the time being the question of South Asian entry into the group will have to wait. What happened in Seoul was “embarrassing” for Indian leadership. Pakistan had always presented its bid stressing the question of strategic parity between the South Asian countries. In a way the development so far is an indication of Pakistan’s successful diplomacy.

Pakistan is not isolated. Meanwhile, Pakistan has become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. India blames China for stalled nuclear group entry. At the end of the day, India has lost nothing in reality, considering the fact that she already has a waiver from the NSG, with the US support provided in 2008. Indian bilateral nuclear deals with France and the US let her avail most of the benefits that a member of the NSG could get. Strategically, it would be important for world leaders to formally accept and recognise both Pakistan and India as responsible nuclear powers that could cooperate for international peace and resolution of conflicts, regional as well as global.

Britain’s vote to abandon the European Union (EU) sparked a bitter break-up row at home and abroad. Countries around the globe brace for economic shocks and to meet innumerable challenges and confront policy issues including visas and immigration as well as trade and other bilateral issues. Many Pakistanis who work in the UK are likely to lose the benefits of access to jobs and education in the EU. Attitudes towards immigrants in the UK could cause problems for Pakistanis. Coming up of a new world as a consequence of restructuring would be shunning integration, socially and economically. In the new circumstances Pakistan would have to go for strengthening domestic markets and self-sustainability.

Brexit is a product of the worldwide economic recession, and is a step towards extreme nationalism. Mass production has to be accompanied by mass consumption. The goods produced have to be sold. But how can they be sold when people have lost purchasing power? Strategies are needed so that businesses do not go bankrupt, and that opportunities for reinvestment and employment generation keep growing. In the United Kingdom people are not satisfied with the result of the referendum mainly because of negative consequences. Difference between the Leave and Remain vote is not significant. In spite of 52 percent versus 48 percent vote, the UK decided to quit the EU.

Now more than two million UK nationals have signed a petition for a new referendum. But the founding leaders of the EU are demanding a quick divorce from the UK. They feel rather frustrated to see the British prime minister’s decision to stay on until as late as October before letting a successor take control of government and start EU exit negotiations.

At this stage people could also question why a new referendum was not requested in case of Scotland. The difference in that referendum of Yes and No votes was also not significant. The decision ultimately rests with the British parliament. And it may also be subject to the agreement of EU leadership.

It is reported that William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the Brexit voters were “startlingly” similar to Donald Trump’s supporters: more likely to be older, with less education, and more likely to oppose immigration. Leave supporters argued that Great Britain’s economy would improve once it grew off excess regulation imposed by Europe, and is no longer yoked to continental Europe’s moribund growth.

Many analysts are of the view that Brexit should be a warning about Trump. Britain’s leaders need to prove to business leaders that they can secure viable trade agreements with Europe in the next two to three years of negotiations. Otherwise, investment would flee. The Scottish question would also come to the fore again, given that polls prior to the recent vote showed twice as many Scots wanted to stay in the EU as wanted to leave. Another view prominently finding space in news is that the UK departure opens a disturbing crack in the foundations of global governance. Brexit is happening, and this is what you voted for. A xenophobic revival, if not addressed, would continue to do immense harm. It challenges the basic guiding principles and values of the western society.

As Otto von Bismarck said, “Politics is the art of the possible…” Anything could happen. Let us wish and hope for the best, may it be east or west. Positive attitude and ability to seek good in everything is helpful, so let us be optimistic. Some people I talked to recently said that although disappointingly Brexit is now a reality, but the prospect of Trump is truly scary. We can only hope that common sense would prevail with the American public in regard to Trump, and the like. The Trump mindset would for sure get a boost with the events unfolding in the UK/EU, and with the Farage rhetoric, one can only hope for the best. I tend to agree but you never know. I am thinking of the global issue of terrorism, and how the current events regarding the UK-EU relations would impact counterterrorism campaigns and their desired results.

Simply stated, it is madness of extremism manifested in hatred and cruelty, a shade of sadism or perversion, deriving pleasure out of cruelty to even loved ones. It is a complex issue of sick minds that society has to ponder on. We blame those who back crime and support criminals. For them human life and human values have no significance. Where is the collective conscience of society anywhere on earth? Heinous acts of insane barbaric individuals go on unchecked. Military action alone is not enough, though in our particular situation this strategy has proved to be very useful. Better governance and cultivating humane behaviour is the need of the situation where innocent citizens are victim of militants and extremist groups. The question is who do we hold responsible for giving space to criminals? Leadership has to explain and act to correct wrongs. Basic interests of the citizen have to be protected.

Accountability and responsibility has to be enforced strictly. Cultivation of positive attitudes is essential in all societies. Where drift and deviance has produced delinquents social control is more effective in establishing formal application of laws, and rules and regulations become meaningful only if the basic social institutions of family and school are strengthened and effective socialisation process is in place. This has been and will always be the way to manage our selves better. We can no longer afford to put up with terrorists targeting our schools, our children, our artists, our intellectuals, and all those who contribute to nation-building and strengthening institutions of the state.

Terrorists who silenced the Sufi musician Amjad Sabri in Karachi have actually attacked our culture and traditions. Our war against extremism and terrorism has to continue till such time that sanity prevails. We need an enabling culture to actualise our policy goals.

The writer is a former director of the National Institute of Public Administration, a political analyst, public policy expert and an author. His book Post 9/11 Pakistan has been published in the United States