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Pakistan should seize the moment
Pakistan must learn from China that confrontation, particularly with world’s sole superpower, only entails conflict.
The writer is executive director of the Centre for Research and Security Studies
Cynics in and outside the country have derided any attempt by the government to try and resume the passage of US-Nato supplies as yet another capitulation to America. Others still have called it a compromise of national honour. And some have said that it is being done to gain dollars, without realising that America never throws dollars in charity.
The facts suggest that both Pakistan and America have tested each other’s patience and stretched themselves to the maximum. Clearly, realpolitik has been at play on both sides. Pakistan has said that the matter now lies with its parliament and is demanding an apology, cessation of drone strikes and increased compensation for each container that passes through its territory.
The US, on the other hand, desperate for resumption of the ground lines of communication and cognisant of Pakistan’s indispensable role in the Afghan peace process, has nonetheless dragged its feet. But Washington has found it hard, if not impossible, to give up on Pakistan, and thus came the understanding, after weeks of brinkmanship, paving for President Zardari’s participation in the Chicago summit.
The roadmap for Afghanistan requires both sides to stay relevant, Pakistan more so since it is right next to the country and has ethnic as well as commercial links to it. That is also, perhaps, why several US officials have camped in Islamabad since late April to work out a deal. On the face of it, Pakistan ended up taking the right decision whereby it demonstrated flexibility. But as it turned out, this seemed to lack political consensus at home and also the issue of what the transit fee would be was left unresolved. As a result, the vibes from Chicago have not been very encouraging.
Now, regardless of the invectives being used for Pakistan’s “dodgy, inflexible and vision-less” approach until the final deal, the real question staring us in the face is what happens if a deal is indeed reached. What next?
Will Pakistan set aside its India-centric mindset in favour of an economically prosperous future? Will it attempt to rationalise its relations with groups such as the Haqqani network? Or will it perpetually remain locked in a war of attrition with the US? This represents a huge challenge for Pakistan because all other countries use the American prism to judge Islamabad. Equally important is a resetting of ties with India. Since America — for its geopolitical and commercial considerations — views Pakistan through the Indian prism, one would hope that a real change of mind has taken place in Islamabad. Officials — both military and civilian — insist that it has. Also, the country is looking more towards regional friends and neighbours for fostering economic links, they say.
But, one major question that springs from this change of mind is whether Pakistan really believes in regional integration through trade and economic cooperation and whether it is actually pursuing a paradigm shift — guided by China — from militarism to commercial collaboration?
If it is doing so, it probably stands to win goodwill from all quarters and can probably rely on tangible support for infrastructure development and capacity building from friendly countries. During a recent visit to Islamabad, an EU delegation, for instance, also expressed more or less similar sentiment and underscored its long-term commitment to both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Ambassador Vygaudas Ušackas, the EU’s special representative to Afghanistan, and other officials told Pakistani officials and members of civil society that as a strong and passionate supporter of integration, the EU encourages integration and regional cooperation. He said that while the EU stands committed to the universal values of peaceful coexistence, human rights and good governance, it is also ready to support in the common cause of fighting terrorism through a strategy of counterterrorism and security.
Pakistan must seize the moment and aim to gain the goodwill it can win following successful negotiations with the US over resumption of Nato routes and future cooperation on Afghanistan. It must learn from China that confrontation, particularly with the world’s sole superpower, only entails conflict, financial damage and ostracisation.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2012.
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Reader Comments (24)
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A pragmatic analysis and balanced too. Thanks for making some sense. Let us stop hurting Pakistan and put it back on the path of progress and modernity. For this the army has to back off and stop supporting the rightwing militants against liberal and secular govt.
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Confrontation is not bad and Confrontation with a sense of universal ethic has a lasting value and had PAK took that stand it would have been totally in PAK favor.
Drone-ethical issue from PAK perspective (only if US does it, let us remember PAK wanted to operate drone from GHQ and asked for drone technology) and apology is an honor issue like the high school boys. Closing NATO GLOC is like a boyhood tantrum, especially when PAK claims that she is a partner in war on terror and support afghan led afghan owned peace initiative.
Yesterdays opinion column by Mr. Azad Durrani said that PAK should sieze the moment to defeat US(whatever that is) whereas today’s opinion suggest PAK should seize the moment of economic integration, trade and prosperity for her own good avoid honor based condemnation.
In both stances, seizing the moment is a confrontational one, the former with US and later with PAK domestic politics.
Which confrontational is ethical to PAK determines her prosperity.
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you don’t have enough maneuvering in front of the white angry elephant, except to be careful not to be harmed,,and be able not be in angry mood ,and also knowing the safe passage ,.
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Pakistan is well on its way of becoming N Korea…barring the ability to develop indigenous technology. West is waiting for its troops to pull out before training their guns (sanctions, aid cuts, diplomatic isolation) on Pakistan.
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Confrontations as long as they do not turn into open conflicts create super powers. Author need to be remined that America would have never been a super power if it did not had 50 yrs of cold war confrontation. Pakistan also is destinied to be future superpower. However auther want Pk to be subordinate to india and whiteman.
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Thank you sir for speaking the language of the USA government and telling the Pakistanis to tow the US line or else. Sir, the nation is alive even though the government is not, Also not all people see things like you do, with the US made glasses or as you put it “through US prism”. We will not only survive but will thrive as USA is not GOD, you may think that way but you are wrong.
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Pakistanis have gone mad with anti-Americanism.
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Not confronting the US is not the only thing Pakistanis can learn from the Chinese. They can also learn to ignore the Washington Consensus where it suits them.
East Asian experience has some important lessons for Pakistan as the country embraces the western prescriptions of democracy and free trade. It’s particularly important to recall these lessons now in view Pakistan’s decision to open unrestricted trade with India whose major industrialists like Tata and Birla have greatly benefited from protectionist policies to scale up and gain experience.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2012/03/should-pakistan-ignore-washington.html
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4 years PPP sold the country and ate up the aid, and now when its election year, they are having trouble finally standing up to national ‘interests’.
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Well, PPP knows this, that Pakistan is not ready for sanctions. That is why the hint of opening NATO supplies came. PPP is just trying to pull out a apology, but its a clash of democracies with both Obama and PPP in the election year.
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@bangash: I totaly agree with you.
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@Moaz Sharif: Read: http://tribune.com.pk/story/384434/record-in-countrys-history-fiscal-deficit-stands-at-rs1-48tr-in-10-months/
What is your contribution to fill this gap as no country or organisation wants to lend Pak any money.
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US has nothing at stake in future in Afg. As soon as they leave . US will operate by drones and gunships . Foot soldiers will be Afganistanis . They will request for help from permanent US bases in Afg. There is no chance of Talibani movement revival by weapons it may be political revival with US terms . So Pak must realize terrorists are not going to be assets any more Mr.Gul is right Pak must seize the chance and should join main stream against terror by its own will not by force as in 2000.Recommend
Interesting, calling it like it is.
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…………there is a sane saying that do not punch above your weight! in this whole affair over last 33 years we have adopted a posture which is way above our economic and poltical weight! this has brought nothing but misery, and now we have been badly stuck in this afghan quagmire. the opportunity cost has been huge for us; and we have been left behind india and china in the region, which will hurt us mightily. whether our decision makers are aware of the implications of dveloped adverse opinion against us at the world level. before this translates into the dlplomatic language, we need to pull back from the brink, as we can not afford further wastage of time in this entanglement!Recommend
When the country’s basic foundationis of confrontation towards India what else can you expect. Pakistan has now become the citadel of confrontationism
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Decent analysis regarding the perspective taken herein. However, the reference to China here is perhaps misplaced. China does what’s it sees fit in its interest. There are many critical issues such as rare metals, control of regional waterways, currency manipulation etc where China has taken a clear confrontational stance to gain advantage. In fact, though most Pakistanis may find it puzzling, even India has taken strong stance despite being pushed by U.S. at several times. The case in point are the isses of using U.S. to gain nuclear exemptions and then frustrating the u.s. in supplying the materials while gaining more favorable deals from other nations. The obama administration has tirelessly lobbied with India on this with little success till date. The issue of Iran oil also seems to have taken a backseat despite the fact that India is still getting part of its energy from Iran. Not opening the retail sector is another one such example. Having said that, confrontation should not be done just for the sake of confrontation. You better have good reasons for it.
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Not necessarily. N. Korea had been confronting the whole world for last 60 years. Have they become super power? Cuba has been confronting US for last 60 years. Has Cuba become super power? You need Educational and industrial base to become super power. USA was already a super power before the cold war started. Does Pakistan have national policy to become a super power? Unlike most countries, Pakistan has very strong lobby of non-state actors who drive Pakistan towards perpetual suicide. This lobby almost hijacks anything good likely to happen in Pakistan. Recommend
The militant jihadis, created by the establishment against India, now hold the establishment itself hostage, while India stands across the border and watches.
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This is said so often in Pakistan you have all convinced yourselves it’s true. On the NATO land route I would observe that NATO seems to be operating just fine without the Pakistan land route – yes it cost more money but it’s peanuts when you look at the economies of the NATO countries. On the “indispensable role” comment that was the perception yrs ago but America and NATO have figured out that your ability to influence the Taliban is nominal and certainly not worth groveling or pay big money.
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The reality is that America has already decided what it’s going to do in Afghanistan — and it’s not going to rely on Pakistan for anything. A small, cost effective, and lethal military footprint is all that is necessary to keep the militants within Afghanistan and Pakistan from using either territory as a “safe haven” to attack America.
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Reading through all the opinions, it seems the confrontation with US is harming the Jammu and Kashmir cause i.e. freedom of Jummu and Kashmir as per the will of Kashmiris and as per UN resolutions. If the confrontation is resolved, all the Indians will have at least something relevant to comment on!
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Love and hate are two sides of the same coin.Pakistani’s (mostly) hate of US is that of a jilted lover.
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The best course of action for the United states is to withdraw all troops from this region. The tribal councils will soon begin what they do best…killing each other.
Let the region turn into chaos, it is what these fifth century troglodytes know best, as their civilization hasn’t progressed past the stone age.
It is high time that America and the west leaned to live on the limited resources they possess. It it were not for the oil in the Middle East we would long ago treated the population the same way we do Rwanda and the Sudan.
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@bangash:
and US has gone mad with anti-pakistanism.score is level.
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