Need to turn Pakistan into a social security state

Need of the hour

The US-India breakthrough in nuclear technology talks besides, other defence related agreements, has caused anxiety among Pakistan’s military and political leadership. As National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz put it, these would cause a strategic imbalance in South Asia. Pakistan, he said, is examining the possible imbalance and the ways and means of redressing it.

Pakistan and India are already involved in a costly competition in both conventional and nuclear arms. While India, with a much larger economy, can afford to escalate the race, attempts by Pakistan to follow suit would mean further reducing expenses on social development, education and health. Besides causing social unrest, which would pose an internal security treat. Moreover, Pakistan would fail to produce the extra manpower comprising scientists and high technical experts without whom any military competition with India cannot be sustained.

There is a need therefore to think of other ways to survive and prosper in the emerging scenario; without taking recourse to a debilitating arms race. During the Cold War the US looked for allies against the USSR in the region. India refused to join hands. Pakistan readily agreed to be part of US led defence pacts. Now the Americans are looking for allies against China. Pakistan is not in a position to help. India has accepted the offer, hook, line and sinker.

The alliance with the US finally led Pakistan to the Afghan adventure. Zia-ul-Haq being a usurper wanted US endorsement and aid. He got both. What the country got in return was millions of Afghan refugees. Heroin and lethal weapons were introduced in the country by the Pakistani trained Mujahideen.

The alliance with the US finally led Pakistan to the Afghan adventure. Zia-ul-Haq being a usurper wanted US endorsement and aid. He got both

A rude shock came when the Americans abruptly left the region, leaving Pakistan hold the baby. The US had avenged its r defeat in Vietnam by putting on rout the soviet troops in Afghanistan. Pakistan should have learnt the lesson that the alliance with a big power continues only as long as its suits it. Once it has achieved the strategic aims, the country is left to fend for itself.

After staging the coup Musharraf also found himself isolated in the international community. He was badly in search of international endorsement. Al Qaeda helped him in the fulfilment of the dream. The attacks on the twin towers and other installations forced the US to seek Musharraf’s support. The sanctions on Pakistan were withdrawn and foreign started aid flowing in. So did military aid.

During the periods of good relations with the US the military feels strengthened as it received state of the art imported arms little caring that any worsening of relations would lead to their becoming useless as the much needed spares are no more available. American patronage had allowed Zia to continue the clandestine nuclear program. Pakistan finally detonated the nuclear device. The country was told that since it had the minimum deterrence that it had been looking for over the last many decades, there would be little need for more conventional weapons. It was even suggested that defence expenditure might in fact come down.

With all the US supplied arms still with us and the possession of over a hundred nuclear warheads we are now being told the country remains unsafe. Despite utilising all the American aid Pakistan is internally in a bad shape. It faces unending power and gas shortages. Literacy wise it is behind a number of African countries. Half the population is forced to live under the poverty line. Parents are sometime forced to sell their children to ward off hunger.

With American patronage gone Pakistan is again at the cross roads. This time it has to try the road not taken. Pakistan needs to redefine the country’s goals set under the military’s influence. Instead of aspiring to become a regional “power”, it should strive to be a prosperous country in the region.

Instead of treating smaller neighbours as Pakistan’s backyard, meant to provide it strategic depth, Islamabad should treat them as equal partners in regional development

For this it must abandon military competition with India. It should instead aim at going ahead of India in economic and social development. This can be done by turning Pakistan into an economic hub of the regional trade corridor from Central Asia and China to India and the Arabian sea. It can also be a hub of regional tourism, particularly spiritual tourism. Instead of neglecting the relics of Buddhism, Hinduism, etc, Pakistan should give them the importance they deserve. By preserving them and making access to them easier the country could have hundreds of thousands of tourists thronging the sites every year.

Instead of treating smaller neighbours as Pakistan’s backyard, meant to provide it strategic depth, Islamabad should treat them as equal partners in regional development. Instead of conducting foreign affairs through the GHQ, let us empower the FO and recourse to diplomacy to deal with the world.

The goal should be to turn Pakistan into a prosperous country at peace with itself and with neighbours. Pakistan should not overlook Kashmir as a dispute, it should however put it on the backburner for the time being. The organisations which conduct anti India propaganda should be reined in. All out attempts should be made to plug Infiltration from this side of the border inside India. India should be given the MFN status.

In matters related to international relations, national interests should to be given priority. Pakistan must never become a mercenary state fighting to further the aims of another country. It must not be seen to be working at any big power’s behest.

China will remain a close friend. But we must in no case turn our back on the US and EU but maintain good relations with them despite any country’s tilt towards India. We have to develop close relations with Russia.

Most of all Pakistan has to cultivate close relations with neighbouring countries that include India, Iran, and Afghanistan. By employing diplomatic rather than military means to resolve the issues between sates Pakistan would succeed in creating a secure environment for itself. This would bring down military expenditure and help transfer more funds to social; development.