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| Pak foreign policy in tatters |
| Sana Arshad |
| 1989 marked the fall of the Berlin wall. It signified the triumph of a nation after the cataclysmic defeat of the Second World War. On the other hand economic development was pursued in land of the rising sun after the catastrophe of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The sick man of Europe also changed its self into a formidable NATO ally. It has not only developed a working relation with the west but also with the strategically adjacent countries including Israel and the Middle East too. Every body is full of praise for them. Other than all the factors that helped these war savaged countries to stand tall again in the international arena; their foreign policy proved to be the sine quinine.
We as a nation have failed to comprehend the importance of this field of nation state. Foreign policy making and developing cordial relations with the other states is incumbent upon every state. In fact it is one of the prerogative rights of the federal government. Before analyzing the major aspects of our foreign policy we must peep into our history and look for answers.
Due to the connivance of the Nehrus and Beatens of the time; Pakistan was founded on 14th of August, 1947. From the very start we were indulged into many problems. We lacked socio-economic and political infrastructure. We had to witness a war in the very start with our neighbour.
To make the matters worse our founder departed from us after the first year of our existence as a nation state. There was no body to step up to the caliber of the great Quaid and under these circumstances, we had to look at the developed countries of the world for guidance and help. As the legend has it that the inclination of our political elite and higher bureaucracy was towards the advocates of democracy and liberalism (US) so we joined CEATO and SENTO and declined to be the ally of the red army (USSR).
At the same time India became the torch bearer of Non-Aligned movement. This was a master stroke on their part as it shifted them away from the power struggle and tug of war of the superpowers and they could spend preponderance of their energies in developing their country.
On the contrary we were dragged into international dilemmas one after the other which greatly hampered our progress.
A positive change in our foreign policy came in 1970's when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the then Prime Minister introduced the policy of bilateralism.
It was a positive approach to build relations with other countries on the basis of mutual interest. International Islamic summit was organized and he became the chairperson, thus advocating Pakistan as the symbol of Islamic unity. The relations with the Muslim countries were greatly improved which was a positive development.
Soon we were dragged into the Afghan quagmire. Nearly for a decade we were a part of the great game being played in the barren lands of Afghanistan. We went for short-term policy and are reaping the crop of extremism today. We have shifted our foreign policy from a sovereign to a mere satellite of the great powers.
The seeds of animosity between Pakistan and India were sown at the time of partition on Kashmir dispute which has now flourished into a fully grown tree.
The security dilemma turned us into a security state instead of welfare state and this thinking became predominant in our foreign policy as well. We continued to have cold relations even today with India. If Pakistan and India start to respect each other’s sovereignty and work on the same principles as followed by China and Russia (who solved their decade’s long territorial disputes for economic gains) then enormous opportunities exist for trade and socio-political development of this area.
Our relations with Afghanistan was also not a smooth sailing. Most of the credit of the contentions lies on the shoulders of Afghan leaders who put a claim on the North Western Frontier Province of Pakistan.
The total disregard of the Durand line on the part of the Afghan leadership is a bone of contention between the two countries. Afghanistan being a land-locked country has a lot to gain from the warm water shores of Gwadar and Karachi. Similarly Pakistan would love to have a stable and friendly country on its eastern border.
Our foreign policy regarding Iran has also passed through phases of good and bad. These relations got cordial at the time of Shah’s regime in Iran. Both the countries accuse each other of helping belligerent and separatist groups in each other's territory. Similar principle of mutual respect for each other's sovereignty should be made the cardinal principle of our foreign policy.
The only all weather friend we seem to have is China. One can’t negate the convergence of mutual geo-political and strategic interests of both the countries. But both the countries should continue to build economic and strategic partnerships rather than expounding the ever sweet rhetoric of brotherhood.
In short we should build our own indigenous foreign policy. Our approach should be pragmatic and problem solving. We should focus more on the well being of our own people than becoming a pawn in the hands of superpowers.
akaammy@yahoo.com |
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