Pakistan should resolve Afghanistan’s challenges from our soil immediately
ISLAMABAD: The ‘flip of a coin’ is a perfect analogy for Pakistan’s foreign policy. You toss it, but don’t get a complete happy picture on either side. On heads, there is a pro-Saudi, pro-US, anti-India and anti-Iran stance, whereas on tails there is a pro-Iran stance while keeping neutral terms with the US and the Saudis.
From 2008 to 2013, the PPP’s government, led by Asif Ali Zardari, had smooth workable relations with three of our neighbours: India, Iran and Afghanistan. The pro-UAE government was at minimal talks and formal terms with Saudi Arabia. Once the electoral results in 2013 came in favour of Nawaz Sharif, it was clear that Pakistan’s tilt will be far greater towards the Saudi government. This also meant a push back to our terms with Iran. Today, we are exactly in the same situation as focus has been high on pleasing the Saudis and very little attention has been granted to other neighbours.
Now in 2017, Mr Sharif has put the biggest foot in favour of Saudi Arabia. Pakistan has become a part of the Saudi-led military alliance and the US president has categorically asked to single out Iran. We also have a disenchanted neighbour in the form of Afghanistan, who has serious concerns about our role in their politics and the region. The turbulence also gained much attention after the crossfires at the Chaman border. What can now be the possible way out and solution, as we place our biggest interests in favour of China? Here is a five-point proposal for chalking out the crisis and have a better five- to 10-year foreign policy approach:
1) Pakistan should resolve Afghanistan’s challenges from our soil immediately. Being an unstable neighbour with deep inner challenges, it is inevitable for us to address the Taliban issues, which Afghans believe are caused from our soil, and take major steps towards their resolution.
2) Backdoor diplomacy with Indians and primary shift of discussions towards confidence-building measures should be planned. Confidence is not built in a day or few weeks; it requires some concrete steps to have smoothness at the Indian border.
3) CPEC is a game changer but it can only deliver if we have long-term security and stability within our system. Economic progress in fields of energy and agriculture needs to be strengthened as they complement the booming commercial sectors of the industry.
4) Pakistan should aggressively pursue the case with the Islamic world and European countries of its neighbours’ interferences and sacrifices made by the country in the ongoing war on terror.
5) We shouldn’t put all our eggs in one basket. It’s never a bad idea to keep building relations with the Russians and then reevaluating which side best fits our needs.
Shumail Javed
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2017.
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