Pakistan provided “strategic depth” to Afghanistan – Gen. Tariq Khan hits back!

[VCheng]

How can you convenience other nations, when you are oblivious of matters relating to yourself, happening all around you?

An excellent question! However, it is clear that the onus to remove ignorance about matters relating to one's own self lies with one, and one alone, and not anyone else.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

An excellent question! However, it is clear that the onus to remove ignorance about matters relating to one's own self lies with one, and one alone, and not anyone else.

It's the pathetic response of state of Pakistan to protect its citizens from constant bombardment of false narratives and propaganda is the sole cause of this ignorance. State response to hybrid warfare is abysmal to say the least.

 

[Goenitz]

The strategic depth stems from British raj where they wanted either :
1. a friendly government in Kabul or
2. a buffer zone between tsar/soviets and India.

After 1971, Pakistan also thought of this concept of a buffer zone containing Pashtun belt, who can fight with Kabul.
The Soviets were considering marching in Pakistan along with India, in a two front manner. In 70s (Daud, Tarakai, Najeeb, etc) intelligence reports suggested that Afghan diplomats in India, frequently meet up with Indians for a possibility to split Pak between India and Afghanistan. In a desperate measure, even Rajeev simulated Brasstack to pull Pak from the western border. What Zia did in return is history.

 

[Maula Jatt]

Oh boy

Talk about hitting the nail right in the coffin

That man's smashing it right in the coffin

 

[Meengla]

One hopes they have thought it through. Evidence to support such thought is pretty scarce.

PDF is not the Pakistani Establishment! Even without going through the UNSC, unilateral sanctions by America and its allies along with trade, remittance restrictions, blacklisting, import/export curbs... Far better naturally endowed countries (Russia, Iran, Venezuela) have been left with their potentials greatly curbed. In contrast, Pakistan would face a dire future. It is a reality which has never escaped Pakistani planners.

And I don't think the General is saying to defy Washington; he's been actually accused to be pro-Washington. He is the antithesis of General Hamid Gul: Both patriotic but very different way to align Pakistan globally. Remember, in his other piece on PDF he even went onto say that Pakistan's war in the erstwhile tribal areas was Pakistan's 'own war', a position which doesn't endear him to many on this forum. In that interview, he even called the American invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11 as a possible 'knee jerk reaction'--a position which runs contrary to what what many PDF members say, you know, 'Afghanistan Bahana, Pakistan Nishana'.

 

[imadul]

There is nothing new in his analysis.
Anyone with average intellectual asset and knowledge of national and world affairs would know, Pakistan Policy is no policy.
It is knee jerk reaction.
Other thing is civil and military elite is western minded and look for Gora's eye. PM office vision is limited and doveish, army chief too has limited vision and lacks courage.
MAKE A POLICY AND STICK TO IT AND DONT KEEP CHANGING YOUR GOAL POST AT SLIGHTEST PRESSURE & TACTICAL CHANGES.

 

[Samurai_assassin]

Pakistan is unable and will never in the near future defend itself from these allegations. Pakistan likes to remain silent on all matters.

 

[S A L M A N.]

I wonder if Moeed Yusuf, for all his brilliance, has realized this.
Gen Tariq is a giant of a man and this non-nonsense and fresh perspective on the issue must be drilled into the ears of the policymakers at the highest levels.

 

[S.Y.A]

what is the use of writing these articles on GVS or PDF? articles that spew anti Pakistan propaganda are published on newyork times, foreign policy magazine etc. compared to that, this is useless.

 

[Mr.Green]

Well thought out article of Pakistan providing Strategic Depth to Afghanistan. But after Taliban takeover, Afghanistan will be providing safe borders to Pakistan by eliminating Anti Pakistan RAW inspired elements that were hosted by Kabul regime. Secondly, Pakistan can transfer extra troops to the Indian Borders as there won't be any threat from the western border. This was the case during Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

After the Taliban takeover, the economic trade routes to Central Asia must be opened as well as the Pipelines coming from Turkmenistan.

The real reason for US led war in Afghanistan was the failure of Hamid Karzai's UNOCOL US Company's failed negotiations with the Taliban to build the pipeline.

It seems a good strategy to include Afghanistan in the CPEC for linking with Central Asia. the road and rail link with Iran has been made by India can be used by the Taliban. Additionally the road network made by the US will come in handy in transporting goods to and from Central Asia. However the Afghans should not be lured into debt traps because they have a different mentality.

The said trade route was opened up during Benazir Bhutto's government. Remember the Apple Murabbah gift from Central Asia which was fed to Asif Ali Zardari's Polo Horses.

It was the Taliban who in one of their first actions liberated the convoy for Pakistan.

It had been the policy of the Colonial British and now the Americans to cut off Pakistan from Central Asia and Russia.

Now we must restart where we left off in 2001 and concentrate on trade.

 

[VCheng]

PDF is not the Pakistani Establishment! Even without going through the UNSC, unilateral sanctions by America and its allies along with trade, remittance restrictions, blacklisting, import/export curbs... Far better naturally endowed countries (Russia, Iran, Venezuela) have been left with their potentials greatly curbed. In contrast, Pakistan would face a dire future. It is a reality which has never escaped Pakistani planners.

And I don't think the General is saying to defy Washington; he's been actually accused to be pro-Washington. He is the antithesis of General Hamid Gul: Both patriotic but very different way to align Pakistan globally. Remember, in his other piece on PDF he even went onto say that Pakistan's war in the erstwhile tribal areas was Pakistan's 'own war', a position which doesn't endear him to many on this forum. In that interview, he even called the American invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11 as a possible 'knee jerk reaction'--a position which runs contrary to what what many PDF members say, you know, 'Afghanistan Bahana, Pakistan Nishana'.

Gen Tariq has his own delusions, suffice to say. CPEC is as much of a fib as the "Pakistan Nishana" mantra. Both sides of the paranoia only serve to keep the national psychoses fed, that is all.

It's the pathetic response of state of Pakistan to protect its citizens from constant bombardment of false narratives and propaganda is the sole cause of this ignorance. State response to hybrid warfare is abysmal to say the least.

Please explain how keeping its own citizenry from false narratives by controlling what they can see or hear will help the rest of the world see Pakistan in a different and more favorable light?

 

[Signalian]

We must understand that our leverage on account of our influence over the Taliban is diminishing and will continue to do so. We can no longer use this card to remain relevant in regional affairs.

Understood it already and been saying the same thing.

Post#14.

Quetta market hit by 2 blasts

There is a crucial need for WAMI and increased CCTV cameras in Quetta, that's the only way to defeat urban terrorism. There is a crucial need for WAMI and increased CCTV cameras in Quetta, that's the only way to defeat urban terrorism. This happened yesterday.

defence.pk

 

[LeGenD]

Excellent article and viewpoint.

Glad to see General Tariq highlighting the fact that Pakistan's Afghan Policy is/was non-existent in official capacity. I mentioned the same in one of my responses some months ago:

"(1) 19 years have passed since Musharraf administration provided access to Americans in Afghanistan and successive governments maintained the statusquo, but there no such thing as consensus-building and/or national narrative for this theme." - post no. 124 in one of the threads in Pakistani Strategic Forces section.

I highlighted another fact in one of my recent responses:

"Many in Pakistan are/were critics of American drone strikes as well. There had been an utter lack of consensus over how to fight terrorism in the region unfortunately."

Oh well...

 

[Vapnope]

Please explain how keeping its own citizenry from false narratives by controlling what they can see or hear will help the rest of the world see Pakistan in a different and more favorable light?

The powerful control the narrative even if everyone else has other things to see or believe. Pakistan in this case cannot influence the bigger power even when she is right. Case in point Indian aggression in Balakote was considered a legitimate reaction because US thought Pakistan would not react.

 

[VCheng]

Pakistan in this case cannot influence the bigger power even when she is right.

Being right is good, but being seen to be right is clearly better.