Our India-centric approach
Adeel Azmat
Tit for tat. No better expression can be found to describe the relationship between India and Pakistan. The climax of this policy was observed in 1998, when the two countries detonated their nuclear devices, one after the other. With the military takeover in October 1999, priorities were set by the new regime to concentrate on the neglected areas of the social sector and to bring in more foreign investment by creating a conducive and peaceful atmosphere, both within the country and with the aggressive neighbour. It was not as a result of any psychological retreat that Pakistan chose to make peace with India. Policies are never static; they need to be changed in view of the changing environment. National interest remains constant. It is a prudent course of action to make all decisions keeping in view the national interest.
No doubt that India has, in the past, posed security threats to Pakistan and continues to do so directly and indirectly, yet the task of Pakistan is much broader in scope than to just counter Indian moves politically, diplomatically and militarily. This Pakistan is doing and shall continue to do. But the potential of Pakistan asks for taking into account other more vital issues and safeguarding strategic interests. Here we have to understand that India and Pakistan are two nations with different sets of aspirations and ambitions. India is striving for a dominant role in world politics, not realizing that so far it does not have the wherewithal to achieve this objective, while Pakistan is following the Chinese model of quiet and calm internal reforms and development, to be strong enough to play a vital role in the world in general and the Muslim world in particular.
Let this fact not be forgotten that this nation of 150 million people has a role to play in regional and world affairs. The question then is how are we to reach this objective? Should we once again play proxies in the hands of a superpower, neglecting our own priorities and sacrificing our genuine interests? The answer is a resounding No. Let India move on her journey to become a global power a path we shall not follow. If an impoverished country like India has raised her defence budget by 7.2 percent, Pakistan should not sacrifice social sector development to follow suit. This is what was meant when President Musharraf said that we should not be Indo-centric in our approach. It is high time for Pakistan to select the path of prosperity and avail opportunities lying before it. If India secured the deal for reactors, Pakistan is close to signing trade deals with the US. What do we lose? We should not be bothered if Indias ambitions drive her to pursue the path followed by the Soviets.
This new policy of focusing on our own social and economic development rather than entering into an arms race with India is the outcome of the prudent thinking of President Musharraf. Pakistan has always followed her own national interests keeping into consideration the aspirations of the Muslim Ummah. The decision of not sending troops to Iraq and not favouring the referral of Irans nuclear issue to the Security Council shows the resolve of the nation to not let down its dignity and prestige. This new policy of being non-Indo-centric has its roots in logic and wisdom and is supported by evidence. It is safe to say that Pakistan did not succumb to any pressure from the US in this regard.
By striving for a global role and being in blind pursuit of nuclear ambitions, India shall not only be sacrificing her friends like Iran, who will fall in the lap of Pakistan, but also further neglect its poor and famished. The problem with India is its complex, which keeps reflecting in its various actions. This complex has fed on historical depravation and discrimination. The premature ambition of the Indians to join the select group of economically giant powers will cost India not only its integrity, but its internal stability.
It would be in the interest of Pakistan to realise that it is against her national interest to enter into a long-term strategic partnership with the US, given our past experiences. With reliable friends like China, Pakistan is not short of options. China has provided a great deal of help to Pakistan in building vital strategic structures including nuclear reactors, and has offered more for the future. Only an internally strong Pakistan, with prosperity in every part, shall gain a strategic edge over the bigger neighbour. If India aims to be the future Russia, Pakistan should strive to become Germany or Japan. This is the course of action any prudent nation would follow. Pakistan should focus on gaining more market access from the US to achieve the above-mentioned economic goals, rather than seeking a strategic alliance. The goal is the achievement of an economic stability and superiority over India.
Viewing the government policies, one can say that the focus of Pakistan is to exploit to the maximum its rich resources, the strategic and geographical location it enjoys, and above all, to bring prosperity within the nation first in order to have a strong standing in the comity of nations. The examples are Coastal highway, Gwadar port, plan for new dams, and the widening of the strategic Karakoram Highway. Pakistans geography gives it the advantage to serve as a trade corridor, energy corridor, and a transport hub in the region, because of its central position between South Asia, China, and the Central Asian Republics. For anyone who wants to interact with these regions, it would not be possible without Pakistan. By becoming the hub of regional business, the economy shall get the required boost, in view of the very positioning of the Gwadar port, from where the bulk of the world oil would be shipped. These are the incentives beyond the scope of a laymans perspective in Pakistan.
As regards the operation in Wana, terrorist networks have been disrupted, extremist elements are no more operative and there is a remarkable decline in the infiltration of aliens from Afghanistan.
Pakistan has never in the past neglected her defence needs. Pakistans defence production is far better in quality than that of India. The JF-17 Thunder has the capability to launch BVRs (Beyond Visual Range), whereas the Indian LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) is still facing problems in the BVR integration in Tejas. Both the fighters are projected to form the backbone of their respective air forces. The state of the art cruise missile Babur, with pinpoint accuracy and longer range adds lethality to the existing delivery systems in Pakistans arsenals. Superior Pakistani tanks, manufactured in HIT speak of the fast pace with which defence technology is being mastered.
Let us not then be bogged down by the ambitious and self-destructive ideology of our neighbour. Let us not pursue a course of action that would pull us back to play to the tune of the superpower. We, like any modern and civilized country, have our own goals and interests that are not dictated by others. We want to play our role as a future power that promotes peace and acts as a stabilizer in the region. We are patient enough to wait for the right time that shall come with the coming of prosperity in our country.
Opinion
Adeel Azmat
Tit for tat. No better expression can be found to describe the relationship between India and Pakistan. The climax of this policy was observed in 1998, when the two countries detonated their nuclear devices, one after the other. With the military takeover in October 1999, priorities were set by the new regime to concentrate on the neglected areas of the social sector and to bring in more foreign investment by creating a conducive and peaceful atmosphere, both within the country and with the aggressive neighbour. It was not as a result of any psychological retreat that Pakistan chose to make peace with India. Policies are never static; they need to be changed in view of the changing environment. National interest remains constant. It is a prudent course of action to make all decisions keeping in view the national interest.
No doubt that India has, in the past, posed security threats to Pakistan and continues to do so directly and indirectly, yet the task of Pakistan is much broader in scope than to just counter Indian moves politically, diplomatically and militarily. This Pakistan is doing and shall continue to do. But the potential of Pakistan asks for taking into account other more vital issues and safeguarding strategic interests. Here we have to understand that India and Pakistan are two nations with different sets of aspirations and ambitions. India is striving for a dominant role in world politics, not realizing that so far it does not have the wherewithal to achieve this objective, while Pakistan is following the Chinese model of quiet and calm internal reforms and development, to be strong enough to play a vital role in the world in general and the Muslim world in particular.
Let this fact not be forgotten that this nation of 150 million people has a role to play in regional and world affairs. The question then is how are we to reach this objective? Should we once again play proxies in the hands of a superpower, neglecting our own priorities and sacrificing our genuine interests? The answer is a resounding No. Let India move on her journey to become a global power a path we shall not follow. If an impoverished country like India has raised her defence budget by 7.2 percent, Pakistan should not sacrifice social sector development to follow suit. This is what was meant when President Musharraf said that we should not be Indo-centric in our approach. It is high time for Pakistan to select the path of prosperity and avail opportunities lying before it. If India secured the deal for reactors, Pakistan is close to signing trade deals with the US. What do we lose? We should not be bothered if Indias ambitions drive her to pursue the path followed by the Soviets.
This new policy of focusing on our own social and economic development rather than entering into an arms race with India is the outcome of the prudent thinking of President Musharraf. Pakistan has always followed her own national interests keeping into consideration the aspirations of the Muslim Ummah. The decision of not sending troops to Iraq and not favouring the referral of Irans nuclear issue to the Security Council shows the resolve of the nation to not let down its dignity and prestige. This new policy of being non-Indo-centric has its roots in logic and wisdom and is supported by evidence. It is safe to say that Pakistan did not succumb to any pressure from the US in this regard.
By striving for a global role and being in blind pursuit of nuclear ambitions, India shall not only be sacrificing her friends like Iran, who will fall in the lap of Pakistan, but also further neglect its poor and famished. The problem with India is its complex, which keeps reflecting in its various actions. This complex has fed on historical depravation and discrimination. The premature ambition of the Indians to join the select group of economically giant powers will cost India not only its integrity, but its internal stability.
It would be in the interest of Pakistan to realise that it is against her national interest to enter into a long-term strategic partnership with the US, given our past experiences. With reliable friends like China, Pakistan is not short of options. China has provided a great deal of help to Pakistan in building vital strategic structures including nuclear reactors, and has offered more for the future. Only an internally strong Pakistan, with prosperity in every part, shall gain a strategic edge over the bigger neighbour. If India aims to be the future Russia, Pakistan should strive to become Germany or Japan. This is the course of action any prudent nation would follow. Pakistan should focus on gaining more market access from the US to achieve the above-mentioned economic goals, rather than seeking a strategic alliance. The goal is the achievement of an economic stability and superiority over India.
Viewing the government policies, one can say that the focus of Pakistan is to exploit to the maximum its rich resources, the strategic and geographical location it enjoys, and above all, to bring prosperity within the nation first in order to have a strong standing in the comity of nations. The examples are Coastal highway, Gwadar port, plan for new dams, and the widening of the strategic Karakoram Highway. Pakistans geography gives it the advantage to serve as a trade corridor, energy corridor, and a transport hub in the region, because of its central position between South Asia, China, and the Central Asian Republics. For anyone who wants to interact with these regions, it would not be possible without Pakistan. By becoming the hub of regional business, the economy shall get the required boost, in view of the very positioning of the Gwadar port, from where the bulk of the world oil would be shipped. These are the incentives beyond the scope of a laymans perspective in Pakistan.
As regards the operation in Wana, terrorist networks have been disrupted, extremist elements are no more operative and there is a remarkable decline in the infiltration of aliens from Afghanistan.
Pakistan has never in the past neglected her defence needs. Pakistans defence production is far better in quality than that of India. The JF-17 Thunder has the capability to launch BVRs (Beyond Visual Range), whereas the Indian LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) is still facing problems in the BVR integration in Tejas. Both the fighters are projected to form the backbone of their respective air forces. The state of the art cruise missile Babur, with pinpoint accuracy and longer range adds lethality to the existing delivery systems in Pakistans arsenals. Superior Pakistani tanks, manufactured in HIT speak of the fast pace with which defence technology is being mastered.
Let us not then be bogged down by the ambitious and self-destructive ideology of our neighbour. Let us not pursue a course of action that would pull us back to play to the tune of the superpower. We, like any modern and civilized country, have our own goals and interests that are not dictated by others. We want to play our role as a future power that promotes peace and acts as a stabilizer in the region. We are patient enough to wait for the right time that shall come with the coming of prosperity in our country.
Opinion
NO
