Pakistan’s strong response to the US

Sanity always prevails

The National Assembly and the Senate have given a strong message to the US, Afghanistan and their allies, read India, through unanimously rejecting the targeting of Pakistan by US President Donald Trump.
Lawmakers have shown their strong concerns over the disregard by the powerful players for Pakistan’s vast sacrifices and year’s long fight in countering the scourge of terrorism.
The response stems from the recent policy unveiled by Trump on South Asia. It is bold and clear and carries several implications, both good and bad.
Commenting on the issue, leading journalist and political analyst from Lahore, Ahsan Raza, told DNA that the crux of the strongly worded resolution, read out by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, was rejecting Trump’s claim of billions dollars aid by the US to Pakistan and reminded Trump and his Afghan commander that Pakistan suffered heavily instead of gaining anything in the war on terror. This is factually correct.
He added that the figures quoted in the resolution say Pakistan suffered a loss of over $123 billion. The world of international relation works well on mutual respect. The US president needs a lesson on how to address sovereign nations only to save his own servicemen in Afghanistan.
Raza added that Trump repeatedly asked in clear terms for Pakistan to do more to stem the flow of Taliban and Haqqani militants from Peshawar and Quetta to Afghanistan.
Well, he had better ask his own commanders and well-equipped NATO forces to get Taliban militants; in other words Trump should ask his own and allied forces to do more, he added.
But we do not know what Trump will do. He will do whatever suits his country.
Raza further said that the strongly worded resolution by the houses was a step towards isolation. Whenever it is about the US or other developed parts of the world, we exhibit the inclination towards isolation, instead of integration and cooperation.
“Terrorists’ hideouts in pockets of Pakistan have been a reality and these terrorists’ prime target is Pakistan itself,” he said.
The political analyst added that though the military operations carried out by the Pakistan army have flushed out the militants, they keep striking occasionally to remind Pakistan about their presence. Pakistan had better keep on doing its work to eradicate terrorism regardless of Trump’s warning.
He recommended that side by side, it should take its diplomats out of deep slumber and start talking with US authorities. In the first place, Pakistan should not have spoken through the resolution; rather its actions should have spoken loud. Trump’s statements should have been dealt with through diplomats.
“We should not forget that we have gained and lost due to brilliant and poor diplomacy,” said Raza.
However, Investigative journalist, Yasir Habib Khan, in his opinion piece for Daily Times titled ‘Wanted: Pak-centric foreign policy’ stated that on fast-paced developments, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif delayed his US tour and geared up to visit China and Russia and Turkey on the recommendations of National Security Committee. Acting assistant secretary of state for south and central Asian affairs Alice Wells’ visit to Pakistan has been held in abeyance.
“Pakistan turned lionhearted after receiving upbeat response from China, Russia, Iran and other friendly countries when Trump tried to spell doom revealing when new policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Habib.
He further stated, “The emerging outlook is good for morale-boosting and mood-lifting. It gives us a silver lining in the gathering storm. However, sense must prevail with its real might, once we thrash out a Pakistan-centric foreign policy to live as a respectful nation, instead of caving in to any pressure, come what may.
“Under existing foreign policy that needs to be overhauled, Pakistan has lost much and gained nothing in totality. According to a report of Washington-based Center for Global Development (CGD), US poured more than $30b direct aid to Pakistan since 1948. Under a Coalition Support Fund, US released a total of $14b till 2016 since 2002. Half of the chunk went to military assistance. Ironically, often aid is withheld on various lame excuses.”
“Recently Adam Stump, a Pentagon spokesperson, announced to stop $350m funds on the pretext that Pakistan failed to take desired action against the Haqqani Network, a group of militants based around the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, blamed for ambushing western and Afghan forces.”
Yasir further stated in his Daily Times piece that in return, the war on terror cost Pakistan’s economy $118 billion as per report of State Bank of Pakistan. That report disclosed that terrorists incurred irreparable losses, badly impacting economic development and social sector growth. They also caused massive casualties and mass displacement.
“It is disturbing that the US administration always looks down upon Pakistan suspecting its action in eliminating terrorist networks and their sanctuaries. Pakistan launched lethal operations including Rah-e-Nijat, Rah-e-Rast, Zarb-e-Azb, Khyber 1-through-4 and on-going Radd-ul-Fassad reclaiming its land from TTP and its allied groups. These ground offensives and air strikes worked well in booting out the senior leadership of TTP from South Waziristan, FATA and other parts of the country. IDPs surged as a result of these operations. This created a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan,” Habib mentioned in his piece.
“In order to intercept the movement of TTP and other terrorist groups on Pak-Afghan border, an effective border management system was put in place that produced positive results.
Islamabad, in the process of attaining peace, pulled out all stops to initiate talks with Afghan Taliban and TTP leadership. Before something positive took place, US played devil with the peace process. From killing Baitullah Mehsud to murdering Mullah Mansoor, Pentagon threw the spanner in the works.
The Pentagon — in its six monthly report to Congress — claims that despite some action by Pakistan, Afghan-oriented militant groups, including the Taliban and Haqqani Network, enjoy freedom of action inside Pakistani territory and cashing in support from elements of the Pakistani government.
In this perspective, a question appears about 16 years are on and $1 trillion burnt in establishing peace in Afghanistan. America also deployed over 100,000 American troops to erase out terrorists and insurgents. Can the US justify this epic failure before asking Pakistan as to why Pakistan could not come up to its expectations?”
Habib wrote that there are tangible questions that Pakistan needs to table everywhere to design a new foreign policy. Consultations with candid friends like China, Russia, Turkey, Iran and others will help to shape it better. These points should also be conversed with world community seeking its point of view.
“Now, the time is ripe to attend to wits without triggering aggression against the US. Imminent foreign policy should be built on the fundamental ideology of the founder of Pakistan to have peace with everyone, especially neighbours.
“With an upright image in the world, Pakistan should never let anything compromise its national interests. New foreign policy has greater chance to live up to aspirations of people of Pakistan if parliament is given greater role to thrash out dos and don’ts. When both houses of parliament — who have the sound mandate of public — will put their heads and action together, sanity always prevails.”