Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Monday said American policies were responsible for instability in South Asia, urging the Obama administration to analyse its role – and that of its allies – in the region.
Winding up discussion on an adjournment motion in the Upper House moved by Senator Mushahid Hussain about US President Barack Obama’s recent remarks that instability will continue for decades in Pakistan, Aziz said: “Pakistan’s answer to instability is the strengthening democracy in the country.”
“The US created ‘holy warriors’ in our tribal areas during the ‘Afghan Jihad’ and then left them as soon as the war was over, a factor which contributed to decades of instability in Pakistan and the region,” asserted Aziz.
Talking about external threats to the country’s stability, Aziz added that since 2013, Pakistan has been pursuing a policy of non-interference and is not taking part in other nations’ wars.
The PM’s adviser said, “We have decided that we are not going to indulge in fighting other countries’ wars now, and this policy is being pursued vigorously by the government.”
“Pakistan has also taken a strong stance against terrorism. Operation Zarb-i-Azb in tribal areas and the operation against criminals in Karachi have helped improve the internal security situation of the country,” he said.
Mr Aziz may be right. The US supported the Mujhidin who were fighting the Soviet Army. They trained them and supported – even gave them missiles to shoot Soviet Planes. The Soviets retreated like the US in Vietnam – in shame. US President Reagan was so happy with the Mujahidin that he invited a delegation to White House and quipped " I wish I were a Mujahid". The Mujhidin turned into Al-Qaida and turned their Guns at others. They left Iraq – in tatters and infighting between the planned Shia-Sunni conflict and which not only continues but flared in the whole of the Gulf Area ( to their amusement). The instability is never likely to end in this area. It is in the interest of the Arms producers and suppliers of the US and the West.
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