If moving beyond the OBL episode proposed by Zardarai means telling the US to forget the past and begin with a tabula rasa, as it did in the wake of 9/11 and the AQ Khan episode, the suggestion would have few takers in Washington this time. An array of important US legislators have taken a hawkish line after the discovery that Osama had been living comfortably in Pakistan while American soldiers died in Afghanistan in pursuit of the Al-Qaeda and its leader. There are voices in the Congress demanding to bring back troops at the earliest and opt for a much cheaper strategy of relying on the type of attacks that killed the terrorist chief. They also demand an end to the aid to Pakistan if Islamabad does not reveal the names of those responsible for failing to detect OBL.
There is a perception in the US that Islamabad needs Washington more than the latter needs Islamabad. At a juncture when terrorists constitute an existential threat and the economy is shattered due to their attacks, Pakistan can ill afford to continue to make decisions on the basis of sentiments and miscalculations. Sen Kerry has delivered a somber message: If it is not possible to march forward together, there are a set of downside consequences that can be profound. While the US homeland can be kept secure, as it has been since 9/11, though at a significant price in terms of personal freedoms and monetary expenditure, Islamabad would find it hard to eliminate the terrorists single-handedly. To eradicate the threat there is a need for joint efforts. The US would also do well to avoid an over-reaction which could, among other consequences, endanger Pakistan’s democracy.
While many in Pakistan demand an end to reliance on the US aid, what has to be understood is that self-reliance comes with a price tag. Is the government and military leadership willing to forgo their skewed priorities and introduce an all out austerity? Does the government have the will to bring landlords, real estate tycoons and players in the share market under the tax net? Is the army willing to reduce its budget which can be done only by changing its India specific security paradigm? All these issues have to be taken into consideration while talking to the US.
Pakistan needs to set its own house in order so that individuals and institutions start respecting laws and constitution. The rogue elements responsible for irresponsible behavior that has damaged our national credibility must be made to pay for their sins. We need to become self reliant, which can only be done if we eliminate and eradicate corruption, so that the flight of capital is arrested and tax evasion dealt with severely. Without accountability, no political system can work. For democracy to take roots, it must deliver to the people, instead of assuming political power to mint money through rampant corruption.
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