Muhammad Saeed
The tale of alliance with America and betrayal never ends when it comes to relations with Pakistan. Duplicity along side the novel efforts to re-engage Pakistan is continued unabated and likely to be a sustained trait of the US in future too. In this backdrop, the US Congressmen of the past and present as well as future are equally been prone to ask their President including potential President Hillary Clinton to ditch Pakistan while suggesting to embrace India more firmly to guarantee destabilization in Pakistan especially by keeping the pots boiling in Balochistan and other ethnically, politically and socially sensitive areas on the CPEC route. It depends on Pakistan’s current policymakers, how wisely they respond to this challenge; either ways available; engage all stakeholders on a recipe that ensures equal distribution of available resources or engage in a mêlée to take more by the powerful stakeholder.
Since strategic relations and interests of India with the US and EU countries converge because India continues to overwhelmingly share their sorts of threat perceptions specifically Pakistan’s relations with China, nuclear position and issues of terrorism, therefore hawks in the US and its allies, have logically engaged India for a meaningful but prolonged partnership in the region, CPEC is the new dimension in the converging threat perception of these allies. Naturally India has readily volunteered to play a forceful role in the region also in anticipation to bleed Pakistan in addition to make efforts to turn the country irrelevant in the future strategic calculus including country’s role in Afghanistan as well as SAARC. This may be one objective out of a plethora of aims to include containment of China and burying Kashmir issue once for all.
Understandably building on this notion, several congressmen of the present and past including Gary Ackerman, a New York Democrat, had urged the US President to forsake its efforts to endow on Pakistan because it is about to collapse instead build strong relations with India which, in his opinion, is the strategic centre of gravity for the region. Similar discernments have also been expressed by other significant officials of the US to include Chairman US Congressional Panel, Steve Chabot a Republican from Ohio and the US State Office official Robert Blake who have been acknowledging basic divergences of the US Government on vital issues with Pakistan. Steve has been demonizing Pakistan’s security structure for allegedly using extremists as strategic assets against its external and internal foes. It appears that the American lawmakers, irrespective of their political affinity, are apparently convinced that India can play a primary role in the region to safeguard the West’s interest whereas Pakistan is likely to falter.
As said earlier that Balochistan situation has long been an ‘Achilles Heal’ for Pakistan and a playground for external players, in such a scenario it can safely be concluded that Balochistan has become one of the important areas of focus by the global players especially because of China’s taking over of Gwadar. To play the lethal game, USA has given compatible roles to a number of its allies in Europe and South East Asia. The former allies have provided shelter and opportunities to Baloch and other dissident elements for demonizing Pakistan while using soil of western countries. The latter partners perform duties of dirty work to destabilize Balochistan by supporting saboteurs and terrorists both through financial and technical assistance. Services of Afghanistan are utilized by the Asian partners as a platform for executing menial job of hatching schemes as manifested in Quetta for balkanization of Pakistan. Leaders of mutinous organizations like BLA and BLF enjoy liberty of action using west’s soil.
Convergence of strategic interests in the region especially to deal with the nuclear armed Pakistan, has thus united several regional and extra regional forces on one platform. However, achieving a single objective of undermining Pakistan at all costs appears to be the prime aim of the gang. Unfortunately, Pakistani policy gurus, despite having knowledge and consequence of emerging challenges, are also willing to fall pray of such designs which ultimately would be harmful for entire region. India is encircling Pakistan as it has established formidable foothold in Afghanistan while maintaining a military base in Tajikistan. Most recently India has shown willingness to provide required support for NATO drone operations after new strategy of zero option articulated by the global powers. Indian intentions to use military bases in countries neighboring to Afghanistan for stealthy predator operations inside Pakistani territory cannot be underestimated. India is already playing an active role in supporting Balochistan insurgency; while trying to exploit inflammable conditions in GB and KPK.
Indeed there is a need to link many dots to understand the future picture being framed for CPEC. The emerging situation also warrants assembling such pragmatic policies which in real sense should be able to ward off the impending challenges. With particular focus on Balochistan, GB and AJK situation, policies needs to be staved off through pursuing of the political course resolutely to change the existing ethnicity, militancy and extremism that is taking toll in vulnerable areas of Pakistan. Though we cannot claim to have clear cut readymade quick fixes to the ensuing challenges including Balochistan quagmire, but answers to harsh questions and solutions to mistakes can be traced in history and traditions. British ruled our part of the world for more than century with a realistic strategy drawn from the history and traditions. This feasible strategy is very bluntly reflected in an article written by US army officer Ralf Peter, under the title “Blood Borders” published by US Armed Forces Journal of June 2008. Whether we like it or not, same needs to be articulated with a strategy of economic inclusiveness supplemented with the hard work to address the radicalization part first.
