- Ministry not much help
Those counting on a full-time minster to bring a degree of clarity to the foreign ministry are already let down. Kh Asif made a few initial headlines – all controversial – and since then it’s been more or less business as usual. It also seems, from the looks of things, that the ministry will make no more effort to assert itself on policy now than it did when it was technically rudderless. The foreign office, too, continues to be just as unhelpful in explaining the country’s often contradictory policy even as the regional situation changes at a fast pace, giving rise to doubts and rumours.
COAS Gen Bajwa’s recent visit to Iran, for example, generated hopes of better relations – especially since there was talk of construction of a gas pipeline. Yet a divergent message was sent when the PM and COAS then flew to Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has made no secret of its intention of ‘taking the fight to Tehran’; and even those enlightened few in our press that advocated Pakistan play the role of a bridge no longer hold such hopes. This confrontation is escalating very quickly and far from helping calm matters, Pakistan is still unable to spell out its on position clearly. The situation is made all the more complicated by former COAS Gen Raheel Sharif heading the Saudi-led IMCTC which leaves out some crucial Muslim states, especially Iran. And the Saudis would have been happy, but not everybody in the Middle East would agree with PM Abbasi that the Kingdom’s recent steps have brought “peace and stability in the region”.
Then there is the Afghan situation. With US Defence Secretary James Mattis due next week, Islamabad is going to come under yet more pressure on the same old issues of terrorist safe havens, alleged Haqqani connection, etc. Already Gen John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, has set the tone for the exchange by expressing disappointment with Pakistan’s response on all such matters. There is an urgent need to streamline our foreign policy. Our stances, sometimes on very sensitive issues, continue to be reactionary. The foreign ministry will, eventually, have to pull its socks up and take control before we lose further diplomatic ground.
Shia lobby in Pakistan is the only one active against IMCTC. Has Iran questioned Turkey, Malaysia, Afghanistan or Egypt for their membership in IMCTC? Why are they only questioning Pakistan? They have been exposed in harboring indian RAW terrorists and are working with our enemies destablising Balochistan and cpec. Clearly Pakistan needs to put its foot down and tell Iran and its appologists here to go take a hike and mind their own business.
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