It is a known fact that US Pakistan relations have shown a downward trend over the recent years for several reasons namely: US drone attacks on Pakistani ground in North Waziristan under the banner of counterterrorism which breaches the concept of Pakistani sovereignty, the Raymond Davis case where he shot two innocent boys for alleged links with the ISI and then recently there were the NATO attacks on 25 Pakistani soldiers which according to the words of Ms Hina Rabbani Khar was also “a direct negation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.”
Keeping these instances in mind and a long history of mistrust between the United States and Pakistan, it has had a bad marriage but divorce is highly unlikely for several reasons. It is a fact that the US is the biggest super power of the world and Pakistan relies on it for military aid, especially when considering the war on terrorism, thus our crumbling economy can under no circumstances finance such a war that we have already agreed to fight.
Given the financial crunch we have suffered and the recent global economic crisis, we need financial backing. Thus, we rely on the US for a substantial amount of aid. Our economy depends on the US as we have major cotton exports to the US and Pakistani citizens living abroad send remittances back home. Furthermore, balance of power with India can only be ensured through the US support because even though China has our back, its military and economic dominance is still below that of the US’.
Pakistan needs to put forward certain demands that should be accepted for protecting the integrity and sovereignty of the country. These demands should include bringing drone attacks to an immediate halt. Further attacks should only take place with the permission of the Pakistani Army. US should officially apologise for the NATO incident and blood money should be paid to the martyred soldiers’ families. This should be the LAST of such attacks, and we should make it clear to them that a failure to follow this ultimatum would result in unfavourable circumstances.
There should be a shift from military aid to public sector aid and a change in US policy towards Pakistan, seeing us as an equal victim of the war on terror. Basically, there should be no more infringement on our sovereignty, no more instances like the Osama bin Laden incident and no more unilateral decision making. Pakistan should be consulted in all such cases. It is a known fact that emotions have no place in international relations and hence, in all practicality, reconciliation would be the best step forward but that too when the US agrees to these demands from Pakistan, ensuring its due right over its territory.
SHEHLA SALAM
Lahore
