Pakistanis should focus on reaching to a level where other countries, not only China will also want to invest.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, USA: As former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger once said, “No country has true friends, only interests.” In the past, China saw more self-interest in a better relationship with Pakistan than India. The China-India relationship should, however, not be of much concern for average Pakistanis. Instead, Pakistanis should focus on developing the country to a level where not only China but other countries will also want to invest in Pakistan. In today’s world, trade and business supercede so-called friendships and other cosy relationships.
A look at the trade volume between China and Japan will tell us that it is in the hundreds of billions dollars, yet they do not employ the “friendship” terminology when describing their relationship. In fact, many people in both countries mutually distrust each other due to historic reasons. But this does not deter the countries’ business relationship. Pakistan should keep in mind that trade, business and economics are the key terms here. All other well-wishing terms are just political hogwash.
Z Bhatti
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2013.
