It was just a few weeks ago when the Prime Minister and Defence Minister had stated that Gwadar Port had been decided to be handed over to our time-tested friends, the Chinese. Now Mr Gilani says the decision of the port is a provincial subject and that it hasn’t been handed over to any country so far.
What Mr Gilani had stated earlier was after the Abbottabad attack on the so-called Bin Laden’s house and when our big bully ally, the US, was blowing hot and cold against us. Therefore, the government under pressure by the Americans had felt the urge to co-opt our Chinese friends. During a short period, even the NATO supplies had been suspended.
When the Americans realised that we might shake off their yoke of servility, they made reconciliatory moves by sending their sharpshooters one after the other. A few crumbs thrown our way and we pusillanimously relented. We quickly announced that Gwadar had not been handed over to any third party. Is it how the major decisions on long term national interests are made? The situation, however, is crystal clear: the elite ruling classes support the foreign masters while the underdogs, the lower classes, the sons of the soil hold the predatory superpower in great contempt. The lava seething inside might violently erupt on a minor issue. Touchwood, Mr Gilani.
DR A P SANGDIL
Oslo, Norway
