| Conspiracies against Pakistan |
Pakistan is passing through one of the most crucial periods of its 61-year history. The situation in NWFP and tribal areas is apparently going out of control with each passing day. Following is a piece by Mr. Ahmad Qureshi on this situation and he has given his point of view and analysis. We invite write-ups and comments on this subject from experts on the subject and the people who have an opinion on this crisis situation and how they see the available options for Pakistan. Write-ups should be concise and thought provoking.
Land of conspiracies
By Ahmed Quraishi
In a recent email exchange, one of the ideological founders of the country's largest left-oriented parties said that he believed that the "core strategic objective of the US" was to "establish its control over the Pakistan Army – to weaken it when it is strong and strengthen it when it is weak but maintain total control over it." He went on to say that the only long-term potent weapon that the Pakistan Army has is "the support of the people of Pakistan". The support General Kayani received from the people on the few words he said about not allowing foreigners to violate the territory of Pakistan is extremely significant."
This is where the defeatist stance of Pakistan's elected government on US belligerence becomes inexplicable. Gen Kayani does not need votes. Those who do need them are wasting a perfect opportunity to earn more of them. That is why Prime Minister Gilani's statement saying 'Pakistan can't wage war with US' comes as a shock. Even if true, why would the prime minister say this because it only serves to deprive Pakistan of the strategic psychological impact created by the army chief's warning.
America has been a duplicitous ally during the past seven years, using Pakistani cooperation on Afghanistan to gradually turn that country into a military base to launch a sophisticated psychological, intelligence and military campaign to destabilize Pakistan itself.
In one sign of the grand double game, despite poor relations with Iran, Washington has encouraged Karzai and the Indians to complete the construction of a road that links Afghanistan to an Indian-built Iranian seaport. The purpose is to end the dependence of both the US army and the Karzai regime on Pakistan. The recent demonization of Pakistani intelligence agencies is a pretext.
Apologists for the US position need to understand that Pakistan has a legitimate right to protect it interests in the region. Everyone does. The problem is not our intelligence agencies. It is how Washington deliberately trampled on the legitimate interests of its ally in favour of strengthening the position of our competitors. Maybe, had the Americans been as considerate to us as we have been to them, our spies wouldn't have needed to re-establish contacts with the militants. If we are doing this, it is protect our interest.
Pessimists fear that if our military tries to block US border violations, there is a possibility of armed conflict. Also, in case of conflict, Washington is expected to signal to India to open a front in the east to divert Pakistani military resources. But Pakistan is not without options. In fact, the Pakistani position is stronger than what it appears to be. Islamabad can activate old contacts with a resurgent and rising Afghan Taliban inside Afghanistan. The entire Pakistani tribal belt will seize this opportunity to fight the Americans. There is a possibility that Pakistani tribesmen could cross the border in large numbers using secret routes to dodge aerial bombardment and join the Afghan Taliban and find their way to Kabul. The misguided and suspicious 'Pakistani Taliban' – whom the NWFP governor has described on Sept 12 as an extension of the US military in Afghanistan – will also come under pressure of the tribesmen and will be forced to target the occupation forces instead of fighting the Pakistani government and people.
But the situation between Islamabad and Washington does not have to come to this. Islamabad can help tip the scales in Washington against the hawks who want a war with Pakistan. Not all parts of the US government accept this idea and this must be exploited. Pakistan must make it clear that it will retaliate.
US military posturing aside, Washington has recently seen a string of diplomatic defeats. Russia has cut American meddling in Georgia to size. In Iraq, a coalition of Shia parties is forcing the Americans to set a timetable for departure. And both Bolivia and Venezuela have expelled US ambassadors, and, in Bolivia's case, the world has suddenly become alert to Washington's intrusive meddling in that country's domestic politics and the role of the US ambassador in fuelling separatism. This is not very different from the US role inside Pakistan, where American diplomats have caused political chaos by directly engaging the politicians.
The only way to entrap Pakistan now is to either orchestrate a spectacular terrorist attack on the mainland US and blame it on Pakistan, or to assassinate a high profile personality inside Pakistan and generate enough domestic strife to scuttle military resistance to US attacks. It's called realpolitik. |
[129] Comments | Post Comments | Send to a Friend ! |
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| I think the problem is serious on the grounds that people of Pakistan has elected a government, which is not capable of handling the situations like these. The idea of a leadership, which can stand in front of these problems has died in minds of Pakistanis and they just look towards their leaders for very basic requirements. I won't blame the politicians here, I think we have to blame ourselves that we are a corrupt nation and we have elected a parliament, which is incapable, corrupt and does not exhibit the standards, which Pakistan really needs in these moments. This is the reality, if we analyse ourselves very honestly. Please be true to yourselves. So the reasoning is really simple, we elected so-called leaders, which don't have moral and character strength, courage to face challenges, can trust on Allah more than other countries in the world and has a magic touch, which makes them unique like Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Can you name a single political leader, except Jinnah in political history of Pakistan, whose personality is not overshadowed by corruption, favouritism and scandals? In the last, I would like to comment of democratic structure. I have a firm believe in it that democratic form of government is something, which Pakistan cannot afford. We don't have that conditions and circumstances, which are pre-requisite for these kinds of models. Therefore, democracy has become the biggest problem for Pakistan as these so-called leaders are exploiting the flaws in this system and using them to extend their endless right to rule on the land of God. |
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| Pakistan is in the grip of terrorism since 2001, but the strategy of the terrorist gropups have changed into suicidal attacks to gain martyrdom to believe in Jehad. It is unfortunate that the main religious parties of Pakistan such as Jamat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulma-i-Islam Pakistan and their leaders have never openly condmended these terrorist attacks so as not alineate these groups. These groups want Islafi type of sharia nazam to introduce in Pakistan. Pakistan is in great danger from within rather than outside. But we should not forget that our neighbours Afghanistan and India have accepted the creation of Pakistan. The cross border attack by USA are illegal from the international point of view. It would be foolish to engage in military action against USA. PAKISTANI NATION SHOULD COME OUT IN THE STREET AND DEMONSTRATE AGAINST UNPROVOKED ATTACKS and send signal to USA that PAKISTAN IS A UNITED NATION IN WAR AND PEACE. |
| Dr NASIR AHMED KHAN pf Telford [Telford England] |
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| Before 9/11, we as Pakistanies , though poor but had self-respect and some standing in the Muslim world. After becoming US strategic ally on this war on terror, we have lost everything, self-respect and sovereignty are the two main casualties of this alliance. I think it is the right time for the present government to step his foot down and say to his 'masters', i.e. US (if in case anyone has been in doubt) that enough is enough and we cannot kill any more of our people and displace our own people just to appease US. Top priority of any government is to safeguard its people's interest and not to safeguard some one else's interest. If Pakistan’s official stance in Kashmir is that we support the war of independence of Kashmiries, then why can’t we say the same thing for Afghan’s people. By all standard, US and allies (may be a couple of countries left in this alliance) are occupying forces in Afghanistan and the local people have all the right to fight for their independence. Some defeatist elements will argue that Pakistan cannot fight the military might of US. I will like you to quote that in Quran it is said that in every campaign Muslims were less in number and material, but Allah's help always came and made us victorious. Just go through some of the Muslims campaign of the early era. The then superpowers were Roman and Persian and Visigothic and they had the superior weaponry and armour and battle 'Tanks' (elephants) as compared to the then Muslims army. But with the help of Allah, Muslims were the victorious one. What they had, which we are lacking today is courage and faith in ourselves and Allah. What I am suggesting is not that we shall declare war on USA, but at least what we can say to them is that we will not fight our own people in their name and will defend ourselves and our holy mother land at all expense. I am pretty sure that odds are not too much against us, why we forget that we have very well trained army in the world backed by state of the art missile and nuclear weapon system. This shift in policy will at least bring Pakistani nation on board and unite them against any foreign aggression. USA demand of 'doing more' are a clear message from them that they do not want a united Pakistani nation and a stabilized Pakistani Government. If the accusation of USA that Pakistani ISI is behind Afghan Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan is true, then one shall ask them why the so-called 'Pakistani Taliban' are against the security agencies and Chinese national. No rocket science is required to ascertain the agenda these 'Pakistani Taliban' are pursuing. Strong Pakistan army and Chinese influence in the area are bothering only and only USA and Indians. One can easily see the circumstantial evidence here and 'Pakistani Taliban' foreign masters’ hand. Present Pakistani Government shall change its policy towards the 'war on terror' and ask US and its allies that they are allowed to kill anyone whoever comes to Afghanistan side. But Pakistan will not take any action against its national on our side of border. |
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| I think we are trapped in the war against terrorism. Nobody has defined terrorism. Responsibility of our leaders is to protect our nation and citizens, not to support blindly the war, which is not even defined. I hear protest against intrusion everyday, but what action is taken to stop that. How long are we going to humiliate ourselves, one day we all have to stand up and I think now is the time. |
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| These disasters are based in Afaghanistan and Inda is planning, I do request to Pakistani Govt. please clean out all illegal immigrant Afghnies. PRAYING FOR PAKISTANI IN THE MONTH OF HOLY RAMAZAN. MAY ALLAH BLESS ALL OF US. |
| Raja.Mohammad.Sohail.Yunus [jeddah] |
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| In my opinion, Pakistan should adopt foreign policy like India. Pakistan always tries to make everybody happy & brought others' problem inside the country. But the result is always against them e.g. we always supported Afghanistan, but today Afghanistan under the leadership of Karzai is biggest threat to Pakistan, we always supported Taliban, but result again same, they just stood up against our homeland & people of Pakistan, we supported America on so-called war against terror, but everybody can see the result again against us means we lost everything in this war i.e. our sobriety , our respect, illiterate suicide bombers all over place in our country, nobody wants to visit our homeland. These are some of the examples of our failed foreign policy. What we require should be straight in our approach, there is no need to flow tears on others' problem, there is no need to put our leg in others' matter, there is no need to support any nation or any organization. We should see only our benefits & should act according to our requirement whether somebody likes or not because now we have already learnt a lot from those courtiers, who always think for themselves also world think about them example UAE, India, KSA etc. & you can see development of these nation & also pride among other nations. Now a days foreign policy is just business i.e. think only about your profit, but don’t tear on other losses & problems. |
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| FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO STOP THAT WAR AGAINST TERROR. THEN TELL TO U.S TO GO BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY. AFGHANISTAN OR PAKISTAN ARE NOT THEIR COUNTRY. THEN THE PROBLEM WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE SOLVED. |
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| I am 100% agreed with Mr.Ahmed Quraishi's comments. Yes, indeed our country passing through one of the most crucial periods of its 61-year history. I think, only way we can overcome out with this difficult time on our country is through 'Unity'. I am sorry to say, Pakistanis are not united nations anymore, Pakistanis are divided based on their personal interest not country's interest, our political and religious leaders and their supporters are not thinking Pakistan First, instead how to make money by all wrong means and become rich. Pakistanis living abroad, not thinking Pakistan security and freedom first, instead thinking how to get involved in ruling political party for their personal interest and for this they made their party such as PPP USA, PPP France, MQM USA, MQM UK, TIP USA, TIP UK etc. and this is how Pakistanis are divided. I don't see other nations Indians/Bangladeshi forming their country's political party in USA/UK/France instead they're united as one nation for their country.If we want to serve and protect our home land/country, I urge all Pakistanis, please put Pakistan interest First and stay united as one nation, no Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan, Balochi, Urdu Speaking or Shia, Sunni etc.etc. Our country Pakistan is beautiful and our enemies want to destroy our country, our nuke. Every Pakistani must protect our homeland by becoming as policeman, as armyman or as citizen. Remember "United We Stand" "Pakistan First". |
| Taj Ahmad [Karachi-Pakistan] |
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| People of this country deserve this, unless we change ourselves. We won't make progress, we won't be able to stand among the developed countries, we won't be able to defend ourselves, until we change ourselves and follow the path of honesty, faith and discipline. |
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| It is a great pity for us oversease Pakistanis because every day there is no peace in Pakistan and due to this Pakistan has lost its respect in international comunity. I think so, justice & education, law & order can change the situation in Pakistan. We feel very shame, when we see the bomb blasting, while American Army, shooting in Pakistani areas & foreign minister says that we were not informed regarding this attack, it meant we have no respect, if we have information about. American Army attack, then it is ok, they have the right to kill the Pakistanis in their own countries?When we see the newspapers just in net, very painfull. Until & unless justice, education, law & order will not rule in Pakistan,there will be no peace & it is true. |
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