The writer is the Chairperson of the Department of History, Forman Christian College, and tweets at @BangashYK
On television last night, our former ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman summed up Pakistan’s attitude towards the US in one sentence. She said that we should understand that we are not “either a lost love or a hidden wife”. Truly, we have an almost romantic attitude towards the US, and sadly, this impression continues just as our prime minister is visiting the US. I shall leave comment on what Nawaz Sharif should do and not do for more qualified minds, but comment on some historically significant points.
First, Pakistan chose to ally itself with the US at the time of its inception. Initially, the US was not even interested in Pakistan and till the early 1950s, usually took the lead of the British Foreign Office in relations with Pakistan. The US did not even immediately appoint an ambassador to Karachi and took almost six months to send one. On the other hand, Pakistan immediately signalled to the US that it was willing to support it in the Cold War in return for aid. Jinnah, in his address of welcome to the US ambassador in February 1948 noted: “I am glad to learn that Your Excellency and the great country and people you represent, will give your cooperation to us in order to advance our economic and cultural relations for the mutual benefit of both the countries.” This was hoped because Jinnah exclaimed: “I assure you that my government and I will do all that lies in our power to give you every assistance in the fulfilment of what is our common desire and objective.” The subsequent trip of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan to the US in May 1950 cemented Pakistan’s tilt towards the Western bloc in return for significant economic and military aid. The invitation for this trip was prompted by Pakistani officials in the US, since the Soviet Union had already invited Liaquat, but the Pakistani establishment was keen on getting closer to the US and hence, obtained this invitation. Thereafter, beginning with the Mutual Defence Agreement of 1954, Pakistan became the most ‘allied ally’ of the West in this part of the world. We chose to ally ourselves with the US when we had the chance of either veering towards the USSR or staying neutral.
Secondly, we chose to support the US because we wanted their military and economic aid, and we go it — a lot of it. For example, by 1966, Pakistan had received over a billion dollars in US aid (several billion in current terms) and scores of our developmental programmes — from village aid programmes, to tractors, infrastructure, the building of the Punjab University new campus and the now Quaid-e-Azam University, were spearheaded using American money. In military terms, the primary reason we can stand up to India even after that country being over four times larger than ours and with a better economic base is due to US military assistance. US aid to Pakistan in total terms runs into the tens of billions and Pakistan ranks in the top five recipients of US aid over the last century. Furthermore, we have never given anything to the US free of cost. We charged the US for every logistical support we gave since the 1960s and continue to do so. The billions we get under the Coalition Support Fund are not merely to support us in our anti-terror activities, but are primarily payment for logistical support. Just a few days ago, we received $322 million under the Fund, not an insignificant amount.
Thirdly, and most importantly, we are not in a love affair with the US. I know this is common sense, but for some reason, it still escapes us. Pakistan is still somehow locked in a ‘brotherhood’, ‘friendship’ paradigm, which sadly does not exist. Any student of international relations learns on the first day of class that states act in self-interest, and that self-interest might lead to relations with one country one day and another, a day later. Interests guide countries, not family relations or love affairs.
Our lopsided relationship with the US is more a result of our actions than of the US need to interfere in our affairs. The US is a world power and as we also know, it only interferes in Pakistan when it is in its own interests. However, we even lament when it leaves us alone and are hurt when it interferes — perhaps, it is unrequited love indeed.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2013.
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@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: In your relpy to @np .... that is precisely why Pakistan is heading now towards self destruction ... the process that started in Dec 1971 with the liberation of Bangladesh... but actually (as you indirectly point out yourself) it probably started with India's "invasion" of Junagadh and of Hyderabad and of Ferozepur and of Gurdaspur (helped of course by India's "comrade-in-arms" Mr. Radcliffe!) ... and to top it all off the "invasion" of Kashmir. India in fact was merely a creation (a fiction in fact) by the British (specifically their MI5) to thwart the emergence of Muslim power in this region.... and now they have been joined in this purpose by CIA, RAW, Mossad etc... to... well, you know the rest for sure... and guess what, "they" are winning... for their "enemy" i.e. the Pakistani State is in fact helping them... by organizing "APC"s all over the place!
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: God bless you God bless Pakistan God plant good thoughts in Pakistan's citizen, Government AND YOUR GENERALS! So that we all neighbours live peacefully!
@SK-42: You will be hard-pressed to find any Pakistani who is not a patriot. All Indian meddling by using BLA, TTP, and MQM against Pakistan has done is unify our nation. Pakistan has never been as unified as it is today. The proof, 2 parties, PTI and PML, which have won the majority of seats in Pakistan's National Assembly based solely and purely on Pakistani nationalism and against ethnic division. We are united and unified as one Muslim nation: Pukhtoon, Baloch, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Seraiki, Sindhi, Muhajir, Makrani, etc.
Occupied Kashmir is a part of the Islamic world and will return to us soon. Pakistan zindabad. Kashmir zindabad. I will never forget those chants by Kashmiri leaders and protesters in Srinagar which brought tears to the eye of every full-blooded Pakistani, when they said "Hum Pakistani hain, aur Pakistan humara hain.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: .... @wonderer: As long as the Kashmiris are denied their God-given right to live as they wish free .... (blah blah blah...) ... in other words: YOU are "God" !!! Indeed ET, you are truly "blessed" that God Himself is reading (and commenting!) on your columns!
@SK-42:
No point Sir, knocking your head against an unyielding two-legged rock. Just see my reply above to the same intellectual. Even Allah has thrown up His hands!
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: I hope you are not teaching history because what you have written here so far is fiction, an emotional outburst that has no relevance to history!
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Kashmiris may want 'azadi', but it is not available to any state in India or Pakistan. If plebiscite is taken in both countries, India may lose a state or two, if at all, but Pakistan would be left without a single state as all its states will be 'azad' and will take a seat as individual nations at United Nations! Start with a plebiscite in PoK to check the temperature of water!
@Hedgefunder: No, let us discuss Indian-funded and armed BLA, TTP and Indian weapons funneled to MQM thugs in Karachi. All this is being done to ignite ethnic strife, just like in Afghanistan where its hunting season on Pukhtoon villagers from every army in the world. Pukhtoons are the subject of ethnic cleansing and genocide, and this has been the main result of the US invasion of Afghanistan, which has been fully used by India to destabilize Pakistan.
You would be hard-pressed to find any argument for a failed state in Pakistan, seeing as we have routed India in 3 wars, even in 1971 see the defeat of India's failed invasion into Lahore. Bengladesh was another matter, due in large part to India igniting ethnic civil war between ethnic chauvinist Bengalis and Muslim Biharis, Assamese, and religious Bengalis.
The fact that you are commenting here so viciously proves that you have spent many sleepless nights thinking of Pakistan. Pakistan is not an ethnic chauvinist nation, but based on Muslim brotherhood, therefore as long as Islam and Muslim culture remains, so does Pakistan. The potential for the growth and longevity of Pakistan is endless and coupled with the global resurgence of Muslim self-determination worldwide. Remember this, as Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said, "Pakistan is fait accomplii and can never be undone." Pakistan zindabad.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: "You can’t deny that the formation, resilience, and continued longevity of Pakistan as a sovereign Muslim nation against all odds is a modern miracle. Someone in Heaven is looking after Pakistan!" Dear Khansahab, for once, I agree with you! Survival of Pakistan is a moderen day miracle and there is no doubt that it is only through divine intervention! Good luck, my friend.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
: "You guys need a better hobby than obsessively commenting on a Pakistani website. You can’t deny that the formation, resilience, and continued longevity of Pakistan as a sovereign Muslim nation against all odds is a modern miracle. Someone in Heaven is looking after Pakistan! Long Live Pakistan."
This Nation has only managed to survive, not due to its ability and greatness, but History suggests that you lost half of it too, and what you have also is not really a reality as NW is simply NO GO Area for your brave Army, lets not even discuss Baluchistan or that matter rest of the Country, especially Karachi, as its obvious that you have plot ! You will be lucky if you can maintain the basic structure of this failed Nation for another decade, without Aid & Loans, you would have done well ! Yet you are so called "Nuclear Power" who can not even provide the Nation with basic electricity, as no one in this Nation believes in paying Bills or Taxes ! Yet you talk about your Ghairat ! Where is the Ghairat, when it comes to Paying Bills ? This concept of Muslim State has Failed as the |Muslims are not queuing up to seek asylum to Pakistan from India ! Yet they are doing that in Europe and especially in UK, under any banner possible !
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: You sir, need to understand a basic logic, as I have read your comments. Please don't be under any illusion, that things are likely to change in the mind-set, unless and until Pakistan actually changes its basic educational curriculum, as to the vey basic facts, in relation to its actions in Kashmir in 1947-48 and its perception of its actions in 65 and 71, and actual reasons for the loss of East Pakistan. Even then, it has been obvious that not many lessons were learned, and Further adventurism in Kargil took place, where your Elite Institution kept the elected government out of the loop till 11th hour ! Now please enlighten me, as to which other nation on this planet could that have been possible ? Sir, you need to start at grass roots after even being over sixty years old, in regards to policies, education and development./ You may have a Bomb, but it will never feed you, nor provide energy solutions for the basic crises, or improve the quality of life for average Pakistani ! The rest is a myth, that simply will not feed the people, nor provide basic facilities. Lastly that wonderful threat of Bomb ! Well rest assure that you may create a major mess, but you will be annihilated , there will be no more land of pure ! The common sense prevails here, unless your "Assets" take you over . That is the Worry that Global Community has, and they are not to be observers, but will act !
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: I told you to respond after reading everything in the 39-page report, but you are replying in 'auto' mode! Not surprised! If you have no patience to read the whole report, please read the conclusions on page 37 at least. And why cant Pakistan hold plebiscite in PoK? You have no depth in your argumentas! All blah-blah-blah! Hahaha!
SK-42: India, just as it does now, occupied Kashmir by military force. India claimed Kashmir as its territory at that time, as it does now. There was no compromise from India's stance, even then. Your statements are complete lies.
India occupied Kashmir by armed force and made the Hindu British-appointed ruler sign to India under duress. Pakistan, along with the nation of Chitral, Tribal belt, and Afghan freedom fighters responded to the 95% Kashmiri Muslim population call for jihad against Hindu invaders.
Pakistan and India both took the matter to the UN, but India demanded that Pakistan vacate its portion of Kashmir, at the time India would maintain its military in Kashmir. For obvious reasons, this was an impractical and ridiculous demand.
Pakistan has always demanded a UN plebiscite vote by the Kashmiri population to determine its future, although India had accepted that point in 1948, yet for 66 years, it has refused to allow the Kashmiri people to chose their destiny.
If Junagadh and Hyderabad were invaded by India and dispossessed of their Muslim rulers who signed to Pakistan by India based on a Hindu majority population, why can't the same notion be applied by Pakistan in Kashmir? How come India is only allowed to follow this principle, but Pakistan and Kashmiri Muslims are denied the right to self-determination?
The fact is, India is a nation of liars, thieves and crooks. It is not about justice or honor, but gaining as much territory as possible, legitimately or through genocide, occupation, rape, and torture. If you think the Kashmiri or Pakistani people will stand down, you are 100% wrong. We will resist until the day of Judgement.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan ,Please read the following three links: http://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/papers/view/109338
http://www.2point6billion.com/news/2010/05/28/chatham-house-pakistan-option-unpopular-with-kashmiris-5787.html#comments
http://tribune.com.pk/story/477777/maybe-we-have-forgotten-kashmir/
I guarantee that your eyes will open real wide! Please respond after your homework! SK-42
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Khansahab, an earlier ET article of Prof Yaqoob Khan Bangash lamented the fact that younger population of Pakistan is no more enamoured and obsessed with Kashmir as oldies like us are! So our grandchildren might be really good neighbours! Jai Ho to that!
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Just the way the wishes of people of Junagadh and Hyderabad were taken, India was ready for a plebiscite in the erstwhile Princely State of Kashmir also. But for some reason, Pakistan lost its nerve and patience to attack the state militarily! When India took the issue to UN & resolution of 1948 was passed, one of the preconditions was that Pakistan vacated their aggression, but Pakistan didn't honour it! Now that a lot of Hindu population was chased out from there and Pakistan hasn't vacated its aggression, India can't be expected to hold the plebiscite! But demography in PoK hasn't changed. So why can't Pakistan hold plebiscite in Kashmir occupied by it to know what Kashmiris in PoK wish? The recent report compiled by Chatham House of UK brings out that majority of Kshmiris of J&K as well as of PoK do not wish to join Pakistan. So why can't Pakistan just give up and learn to live like a good neighbours?
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
You are most welcome to hold on to your views Sir. I have no remedy for those who take pleasure in delutional notions and bigoted sence of logic and reasoning. All I can do is to wish you good luck. May Allah take you in His protection.
@wonderer: As long as the Kashmiris are denied their God-given right to live as they wish free from occupation, oppression, and fear, then the point will never be irrelevant. Pakistan has an obligation to stand up for our Kashmiri blood brothers and coreligionists. Kashmiris are a part of the Islamic legacy and culture in South Asia, and legitimate part of the Pakistani Muslim nation. As per UN resolutions, Kashmir is still recognized by the UN as a disputed area awaiting a UN plebiscite vote to determine their future as per the wishes of the people of Kashmir. They have been maliciously and heavy-handedly denied their right for 66 years.
@Palistani: Pakistan has never been able to 'handle' India and its every attempt to 'manhandle' India has regally boomranged back on it. Best examples are 1948, 1965 & 1971 wars!
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
Pardon me Sir, but isn't the debate irrelevant at this point of time? We lost Kashmir the day we had to accept defeat in our unduly optimistic attempt to capture J&K by force of arms, and then trying to hide our actions by blaming it all on Razakars. Our arguments would have carried weight now if we had the patience and wisdom to wait. And, I am sure you know that what you lose on the battle front you never retrieve on a negotiating table.
@Np: So why then did India invade Junagadh and Hyderabad? Those were Muslim rulers signing to Pakistan who controlled territories with a majority Hindu population. Even though Hyderabad city was always Muslim majority until very recently, India invaded and dispossessed the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Why was the Muslim majority region of Ferozpur, close to Lahore, annexed by India and ethnically cleansed of its Muslim population? Muslim men, women, children were stripped naked, raped, paraded and burned alive by Hindu and Sikhs in India, and with support of the Indian state. Is this justice?
For all the talk of rights and principles, you can't support a principle when it suits you and disregard it when it doesn't suit you. The reality is India is a selfish, greedy, and arrogant nation which relies on occupying and forcing its neighbors to heed its demands. In this regards, Pakistan is a thorn on all sides because Pakistan refuses to be a puppet of India.
Kashmir is a Muslim majority land, housing a 95% Muslim population, which by all democratic rights and legalities is an integral part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. After 66 years, and still Kashmiris resist India tooth and nail. You still don't get it. Kashmiris are Muslims with a culture and heritage continuous with Pakistan. Regardless of your state policies, Kashmir remains stoutly Islamic and resolute as a Muslim nation seeking union with Pakistan.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: None of what you said supports your original statement or contradicts what I said. India did not attack Pakistan in 1948 and it did not do so in 1965 . The fact thar Kashmir became a princely state in 1846 when it was sold to the Hari Singh's grandfather has no relevance to your point that India attacked Pakistan in 1948. You have also been quite silent when I disproved your ststement that India attacked Pakistan in 1965 by quoting your own war hero of 1965 .
This writer, as is usual with him, has done an excellent job of proving to all who care, how shortsighted our leaders have been and how we have much to repent for, due to our past choices and actions. There is no doubt left any more for us to realise that the ship of our state has been rudderless for quite some time.
What has been has been, and there is not much we can do now about it, except to learn lessons from our past and make wiser choices in the future. But have we learnt any thing at all? I am not sure we have. My worry is that our capacity to learn lessons is badly curtailed by what we have always regarded as unquestionable. And, whether we like it or not, the ship of our state still seems to be rudderless, and heading towards ruin unless we wake up soon.
@Kafir: please elaberate Pakistan is aN Islamic democracy where women are allowed to work and has more gender freedom than india http://tribune.com.pk/story/521279/pakistan-better-than-india-on-undp-gender-inequality-index/
@Np: Educate yourself.
Jammu and Kashmir was not a princely realm until 1846, when the British sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh for 75 million rupees, without consulting the Muslim population. During Partition, an indigenous revolution began in Kashmir when his son Hari Singh refused to sign with Pakistan.
When it was clear that he had no respect for the aspirations of the Muslims of Kashmir, Jihad was declared which led to the support by Afghani and Pakistani Muslims for Kashmiris. The British army officers under the control of Pakistan refused to fight in that war, even though India's British officers and army invaded Kashmir and forced Hari Singh to sign Kashmir to India under duress.
@Hedgefunder, Modified: You guys need a better hobby than obsessively commenting on a Pakistani website. You can't deny that the formation, resilience, and continued longevity of Pakistan as a sovereign Muslim nation against all odds is a modern miracle. Someone in Heaven is looking after Pakistan! Long Live Pakistan.
@Zeeshan: US is the biggest customer of Chinese goods so it is unlikely that US hates China as much as you claim it does. Secondly US provided free arms to Pakistan for decades. India has never mortgaged its sovereignty by accepting free arms from any country including US. Please check out sources of information other t Han Zaid Hamid, Hamid Gul and Orya Maqool Jan.
@Zeeshan:
Popular myth in Pakistan that America hates China - that's just rubbish. China and America get along better with each other than either gets along with Pakistan.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Ever heard of " living beyond one's means" ? Pakistanis might be hard working, however, still don't generate enough wealth to meet the bloated expenses of the Pakistani sate. This is why Pakistani state has been living on aids from wherever she can get. Other points you have raised are once again the proof of your distorted education system which is based upon pack of lies.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Your pipe dreams should carry health warnings as they are really bad for your health ! I am not even going to bother to correct your perception of History as its quite obvious to me that you really need to catch up on some serious reading and establish the facts as they were and are today, in age of Internet ! Man ! You really are a product of this State's flawed policies and teachings ! Please wake up, world is round, not flat !
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: India did not attack KAshmir. It is Pakistan that attacked Kashmir which was then ruled by Raja HAri Singh. HE asked India for helped but India refused to intervene. IT is then that he signed the instrument of accession to India. Only after that India sent its army to defend KAshmir. Also in 1965 India did not attack Pakistan. You have been lied to. It is Pakistan that attacked India. You do not have to take my word for it. You can read what your own war hero Air MArshal Nur Khan said and was printed in your own newspaper - Dawn. http://dawn.com/news/155474/nur-khan-reminisces
Romance between owner and beggar????
@Modified: You have never been to Pakistan. Pakistan is one of the hardest working nations of the world. The common man, women, and child in Pakistan live a life of hard work and toil, despite their adversities.
It is the fact of being exploited, invaded, and marginalized by powerful powers like the US, USSR, and India that Pakistan lost its potential. Shortly after independence in 1947, India invaded Muslim majority Kashmir to deprive Pakistan of its legitimate territory. In 1965, India again invaded Pakistan only to lose more territory in Kashmir to Pakistan. Just in 1971, Pakistan was invaded by India/USSR and split losing half its population, a third of its territory, and much of its exportable goods. Pakistan still managed to defeat the Indian divisions on its Western side and gain Indian territory, which was exchanged for war prisoners. Pakistan's resurgence in the mid-1970's is a miracle which has no precedent in history. USSR invaded Pakistan and Afghanistan in the 1980s, for which Pakistan lost much in the defense of its homeland and its neighbor. Now since 2001, the US, NATO, and various other countries has dislodged a friendly government in Afghanistan and interfere daily in Pakistan. The fact is world powers can't leave Pakistan alone, due to its strategic location, natural resources, and its potential for greatness.
Today, Pakistan is alive only by the grace of God and the hard work of its people. The idea and power of the notion of an ideal Islamic state, Pakistan, will live a long time to come and continue to be a source of inspiration for the Muslims of the world.
@Zeeshan: Americans should be grateful that we helped them in times of their needs from defeating
That is a joke, Pakistan can't even control terrorism on its soil. It was American weapons that forced Russians to leave.
Pakistan's brave army surrendered 93000 soldiers in 1971 war.
Pakistan is only good at playing Kargil or using non-State actors. Pakistan army is good at killing killing Pakistani civilians. Twenty thousand Baluch have been killed in Balochistan in the last 60 years..
@Kafir: With money one can buy love and more. All love ends in .................
Right from inception Pakistanis developed the habit of living on easy money. Unless you fix this habit, nothing will change and you will continue with these one sided relationships with US, China and Saudis etc. Your Kashmir and India policy will bring nothing but miseries.
Vietnam a booming economy inspite of being at war for nearly fifty years. On the battlefield we cannot stand up to the Taliban We are defeated in the economic battlefield by South Korea and Taiwan.
@aqib: You need to do some home work as to how you obtained the Nuclear Technology ! Give you a tip, there is little country in Europe called Holland and some Pakistani was working there, guess what happened next? Few things went missing !
Some very factual home truths, that People of this Nation should start acknowledging. They wonder, as to why they are disliked in rest of the world? Show me a Nation as ungrateful as Pakistan, which loves receiving Aid with one hand and still want to burn flags with the other ! These historical facts should also be introduced in your schooling curriculum, perhaps your next generation will grow up with sincere and factual outlook.
More I see the mess Pakistan's Foreign Policy is greater is my admiration for the statesmanship of Nehru who forged a foreign policy for India which was non aligned to both the US and USSR . In the process Nehru also laid the foundations of the Non Aligned Movement .
If Pakistan should be grateful for the US "aid", then Americans should be grateful that we helped them in times of their needs from defeating the Soviet and opening doors to China. But Pakistan's strong anti-Americanism is the product of American's actions around the globe: the previously Pakistan-friendly America's of yesteryear is now being replaced by not just an anti-Pakistan, anti-Arab but also an anti-China America.
Furthermore, the same Americans who demanded Pakistanis to bow down to their aids are quite fast in being ingrates themselves. Given the amount of money China is lending to the US and the humongous debt America carries, one would hope that the Americans would show more humility to China and the rest of the world. Instead, the same America wants to aid India to be the next shooperpower. The Americans used to hate Indians a lot but Americans now hate China more than they hate Indians. So, they are willing to arms Indians to the teeth to "curtail" China.
Pakistan has had problems since Independence because it got married to Ideology, a price no State can afford to pay. It was unable to differentiate between friend and foe. Saudi Arabia is friend because it is Muslim, even though it has funded extremism and fundamentalism through the Madarassa / Mosque route, which has claimed 50,000 lives over the last decade. China will loot the resources and dump the cheapest products, but is friend. When I was very young we were taught, a man is known by the company he keeps. No need for more.
How can there be romance? Pakistan is the anti-thesis of America.
Pakistanis should be thankful to the American tax payers who have fed billions and billions of $ to prevent the Pakistani state from collapsing while Pakistani feudals, land and property owners, industrialists, and businessmen and countless others have brought Pakistan to near ruin because of rampant corruption and tax evasion.
A nicely written pieace of hstory. What is missing ofcourse are the consequences of the romance such as loss of independence and self reliance!!! It is a shame that the 180 million people have not evolved into an industrious Nation instead of reliance on foreign entities. Pakistan leadership is on Drugs!!!
Rex Minor
Yes indeed.... a very typical "romance" (that is going NOWHERE!!)... a partner (even in romantical terms) ... like an UNWANTED wife... simply cannot live with, but can NEVER live WITHOUT!!!
Not just with US - as I have commented elsewhere - same "begging to be friends" behavior can be seen towards China and S.Arabia. I call this "chamchagiri - diplomacy".
There is a reason why the 'Mighty Empire' has military bases in 133 out of 206 countries, of the world(as per their own website).
The primary reason why we can stand up to India or for that matter just survive as a country (not invaded like others have recently met the fate), has nothing to do with the military assistance from US(it was stopped at the most crucial of times-1965,71)...it has everything to do with our nuclear program, for which we have to be grateful to our own nuclear scientists and our neighbour to the north east. we have paid a huge price for the assistance that you are about.
$73 Billion Aid given to Pakistan from 1948-2002, computed based on 2002 values. An additional $20 Billion post 2002 year to date 2013 paid to Pakistan Government. Confused, forgetful or ingrate?
Great! Not too many Pakistani authors would write about Jinnah's address to the US ambassador offering Pakistan's services. But he ends the blog immediately. There are many twists and turns in the relationship.
It's hard to handle India without American help