Pakistan’s
admission in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been termed ‘a
historic occasion’ and ‘an important foreign policy milestone’. Pakistan’s foreign office and analysts term
SCO’s importance as a regional political and security bloc. They term Pakistan’s
full membership ‘significant’. However, I am not carried away by the fanfare
and wish to relate it to the harsh ground realities, top most being: Pakistan’s
foreign policy, economic development and security threats.
I
have a strong feeling that Pakistan’s foreign policy has always remained subservient
to the United States in the past and Saudi Arabia during the regime of Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharf. Pakistan joined the US to avert USSR assault in
Afghanistan and since then has been fighting a proxy war. One does not see any
prospects of US-led forces leaving Afghanistan, though the withdrawal was
supposed to be completed in 2014.
Pakistan’s
relationship with Iran have not been ‘cordial’ since toppling of the Shah’s
regime. Bilateral trade, despite enjoying a common-boarder, has reduced and reduced
to the minimum in the aftermath of impositions of sanctions by the US and
followed by other countries. This brought Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline
project to halt. India very smartly walked away on ‘security threats’ and
Pakistan didn’t accept Iran’s financial assistance to complete the pipeline.
The situation has not changed even after easing/withdrawal of sanction imposed
on Iran by the superpowers.
Russia,
under the leadership of Putin is trying to establish cordial relationships with
Pakistan by offering financial assistance, but the ruling junta still has
certain apprehensions, may be due to the US pressure and Russia’s most cordial
relationships with India and Iran. There is also a fear that its re-approaching
may also offend China.
Since
independence, Pakistan has remained under ‘war like situation’ with India and
booth the countries have fought three
wars. Pakistan alleges that RAW agents intrudes from Afghanistan and Iran for
undertaking cross-border terrorist attacks. The most embarrassing situation was
created by the arrest of a Raw agent at the Pakistan-Iran boarder on the day of
visit of Iranian President to Pakistan.
Some
analysts say that now India surrounds Pakistan from three sides, India,
Afghanistan and Iran. Their point is that India was an enemy, but Pakistan’s
tweaked foreign policy has given India opportunities to make the home in the
hearts of Afghans and Iranian. While Pakistan is still fighting a proxy war in
Afghanistan and refusing to open up trade with Iran, India is doing extensive development
work in Afghanistan and Iran, its involvement in the construction of Iranian
port Chabahar, even when sanctioned were imposed on Iran is not a secret.
As
regards economic development in Pakistan, it remains a dream. Doubts are being
created by groups having vested interest about CPEC. Some of the opponents even
go to the extent of calling it another ‘East India Company’. It may be
suspected that these groups are supported by India, which is opposing CPEC because
some of its sections pass through ‘Pakistan held Kashmir’. There have been
attacks on Chinese Engineers working in Pakistan. India’s sole objective
remains weakening Pakistan’s economy in lieu of any military assault.
Pakistan’s
economy has flourished on grants, aid and lending by the multilateral financial
institutions, rather than any home grown-plan, its textile industry has
flourished during the textile quota regime. Over the last three decades the
country continues to suffer from the worst energy crisis, not because of
limited power generation capacity, but rampant pilferage and none payment of
bills by those enjoying support of linguistic, religious and political groups.
Since
the attack on Afghanistan by USSR, the US terms Pakistan ‘front-line partner in
the war against terror’, but the country has suffered the most because of bomb
blasts, suicide attacks and targeted killing of people. There is a growing perception
that all the militants enjoy financial support and arms supplies from outside,
by the groups adamant at spreading sectarian conflict and anarchy.
Economic
development of Pakistan is not dependent on foreign assistance, but developing
a ‘united nation’ strong enough to avert all sorts of aggression at its own,
i.e. linguistic, cultural, sectarian. This demands, formation of an independent
foreign policy, establishing cordial relationship with immediate neighbors and
creation of interfaith harmony. Unless all these priorities are placed in order
and collective efforts are made, Pakistan will not be able to gain any benefit
from being part of any association, group or bloc.
SOC,
China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan,
