Elites as well as commoners
of Pakistan while passing time in their drawing room talks often indulge in discussions
on a variety of topics. These range from civil-army relations to Pak-India
border situation to proxy wars going on in the neighborhood. However, lately
the talks also drift to the outcome of US elections and US-Pakistan relations
in the aftermath. The diversity of discussion depends on the knowledge of the
participants about the facets of the US foreign policy.
The commoners often
have the consensus that historically the successive governments in Pakistan
have been towing the US foreign policy agenda since independence. They also say
that Pakistan’s foreign policy has mostly remained under the shadow of US
foreign policy. However, there have been good and bad patches, good during the
time US needs Pakistan and bad when the US focus shifts away from the region
where Pakistan is located.
During cold-war era
as well as Afghan war, Pakistan was often termed key partner in war against
terror, but mantra of many US senators and congressmen remains ‘do more’.
Pakistan has played a contradictory role in Afghanistan, a friend as well as a
foe. Pakistan with the help of Taliban fought against Russian troops but post
9/11 it was asked to fight the same Taliban.
The US is often
termed the biggest democracy of the world, which also take active part in ‘regime
change’ programs around the world to dislodge ‘dictators’. However, it is worth
noting that the US has supported three dictatorial regimes in Pakistan, spread
over nearly thirty years. Supporting these regimes was need of the super power,
as it believes that negotiating with a dictator is easier as compared to an
elected/democratic government, which is accountable to the masses.
This is not unique,
the US has been installing, supporting and even prolonging and dislodging dictators’
rule in many countries in the name of ‘regime change’. Surprisingly, the
biggest democracy of the world does all this but its citizens and/or elected
representative, in one way or the other, endorse acts of ruling junta. One may
say that the deception prevails over only because of the much talked about
liberal media that is not free in real sense.
