By: Maqsood Ahmad
Srinagar, 14 May: Pakistan has all along aligned itself with the US and NATO mainly for economic reasons and Kashmir policy as it is a historical fact that during the cold war era, India was aligned both militarily and otherwise also with the Soviet block and used to derive all kind of support from the Soviet Union particularly on Kashmir.
Soviet Union used to veto all resolutions moved in the UN Security Council on Kashmir and other Indo Pak issues in India's favour. After the disintegration of Soviet Union, it was expected that Pakistan would get all out support from the Western Block particularly the US in getting all its disputes with India particularly on Kashmir settled and would ensure implementation of the UN resolutions on Kashmir. Not only Pakistan but we Kashmiris also generated high hopes that our dispute would get settled and we would be allowed to exercise of Right to Self Determination for determining the future political set up of our territory in accordance with the UN Resolutions.
Unfortunately this did not happen but instead it was US that blocked all chances Pakistan got in forcing a settlement of Kashmir dispute with India such as during the 1962 India’s China War when Pakistan was pressurized by the US not to bring any kind of military pressure on India to get the Kashmir dispute settled and also during the Kargil war when the US forced Pakistan to cease fire and return to the original positions held by it.
Besides, the US also used Pakistan against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan without giving it anything in return and has been using Pakistan against Taliban whom the US used to address as Mujahideen when they were fighting the Soviet forces in Afghanistan, and are now calling them as terrorists. Not only that, instead of supporting Pakistan in getting its problems with India particularly on Kashmir resolved, it is showing a tilt towards India for its economic considerations as well as its Anti Muslim and Anti Islam and Anti Kashmir policies. The United States went all out against Taliban and Osama bin Laden and killed thousands of innocent and unarmed Afghan men women and children through drone attacks on civilian population, travelers and jirgas which has even been acknowledged by the puppet ruler of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai. They killed hundreds of Civilians in Waziristan area of Pakistan with these drone attacks. . What action it took against its forces. What action US took against the killers of thousands of Muslims by Modi & Co in Gujrat and Indian security forces in Kashmir. Just denying visa to visit USA is no action and is ridiculous. What action it took in the massacre of innocent and unarmed civilian population of Lebanon and Palestine by the Israeli troops. Even if it is accepted that OSAMA BIN LADEN was a terrorist but he was just an individual. What about the states like Israel and India who are resorting to state terrorism.
The US wastes no time in mobilizing NATO and its other allies when any local uprising takes place in any Muslim country but when it happens in a country where there allies of friends are involved, they just do not bother and actually help the oppressor like in Kashmir, Palestine.The US is also trying to squeeze Pakistan by depriving it of its strategic depth in Afghanistan and giving India an increased role and space in Afghanistan. This goes to prove that US is not a reliable and trusted friend and is Anti Muslim, Anti Islam and Pakistan has had enough occasions to substantiate this argument. Pakistan has invited trouble in its own country and with its own people by pursuing the policies in the interest of US. Pakistan needs to rethink about its foreign policy and need not rely on the US. US is treating Pakistan like a prostitute and enters its territory and conducts military operations at its free will against some economic aid which is also tagged with so many conditions. Pakistani authorities shouls understand that Americans military operations within Pakistan soil are not going to stop here after the elimination of Osama. Americans will continue to conduct direct military operations inside Pakistan unilaterally on one pretext or the other. Sometimes, they will make an excuse of pursuing Mulla Omar, sometimes Al-Zuwahiri and so on and so forth. The only thing that will stop US from conducts military operations is when they suffer human losses and for that Pakistan needs to retaliate militarily. This is the only reason they pulled out from IRAQ and are now trying to find a face saving in coming out from Afghanistan. It needs to make friends within its own country rather than create enemies in the interest of US.
The trouble in Pakistan started after 9/11 when Pakistan shifted its Afghan policy and went all out against Taliban to please the US administration during the Musharraf regime. Pakistan needs to assert and survive as a free and independent Nation. Pakistan needs to generate its own resources for its survival and not depend on the US economic aid and if they are unable to do it, they have no right to exist as an independent country . Pakistan should strictly adhere to and follow the sayings of its National poet Dr Sir Muhammad Iqbal: “Aay Tair-I-Lahoti, Us Rizk sey Mout Achi Jis Rizk sey Aaati ho parvaaz mein kotahee”. Pakistan should not bother about any military misadventure of the US as the US cannot afford to intervene directly and invade any country they want. US has in the recent past intervened directly in IRAQ and Afghanistan and has met with failures and has not been able to fulfill its desires/objectives as envisaged/planned by it and is now trying to have a face saving to come out of Afghanistan.
The US has refrained from intervening in other countries defying their dictates subsequently after Afghanistan such as Iran, North Korea etc in view of its bitter experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. US has also not taken a lead role against Libya and has left the Libyan crisis to be handled by NATO. It is a changed scenario. It has been established that it is not going to be a smooth sailing for the US to invade any country. US, instead of being a friendly country is an enemy of Pakistan. It has forced Pakistan Govt. to kill its own people and bombard them. It has also worked against Pakistan in respect of its relations with India.
Author : Er Maqsood Ahmad Shahdad can be reached at: maqsoodshahdad@hotmail.com
