The writer is a freelance contributor.
There is a wonderful Urdu couplet that contains wisdom about relations between two unequal individuals or states. It goes like this: ‘Barey logon sey milney mein zara tum fasla rakhna, miley darya samunder sey tow who darya naheen rehta’ (keep a distance while meeting the mighty because when the river meets the sea it loses its identity). The lesser party in the relationship not only loses its identity but the relationship itself works against its interests because the stronger partner invariably tries to exploit the relationship through for its own interests, rather than making the relationship mutually beneficial.
There could not be a better explanation of the nature of the relationship between the US and Pakistan. The US has invariably used Pakistan as a pawn to promote its own strategic interests in the region. Our joining of the Seato and Cento military alliances against the former Soviet Union jeopardised our national security. The U2 incident is a testimony to this fact. Whatever military and economic assistance was given to Pakistan during that period could best be described as a consolation, rather than a genuine and sincere effort on the part of the US to bolster the economic and military strength of an ally, commensurate with the challenges and threats that it faced. The US even cut off military assistance to Pakistan during the Indo-Pak war in 1965, instead of helping it’s ally.
Our joining the US in the Afghan war, during the Soviet invasion and later the war on terror, has also done incalculable harm to our security and economic interests. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the challenges and security threats that we face today are undoubtedly the consequences of this alliance of unequals.
Pakistan and the US are currently engaged in a strategic dialogue, aimed at restructuring bilateral relations for the long term. The sixth round of this dialogue has just concluded in Washington. The joint statement issued at the end of the dialogue noted: “Reaffirming the strong relationship and enduring partnership between the two countries, the Strategic Dialogue Ministerial marked the commitment of both countries to strengthen the bilateral relationship and advance their shared interests in a stable, secure and prosperous Pakistan and the region. Both sides expressed their conviction that an enduring US-Pakistan partnership is vital to regional and international security…”.
One can hardly take issue with the intent to build strategic relations. The prospect sounds very positive and mutually beneficial. But considering the fact that the US secretary of state has again urged Pakistan to cut down its nuclear capability, one wonders whether the US is really interested in building a strategic partnership with Pakistan and ensuring regional stability and security. How can Pakistan and the US build a strategic partnership when the latter persistently remains oblivious to the security concerns of the former and refuses to see its nuclear programme in the context of the security threat from India.
In Sartaj Aziz’s media briefing after the dialogue, referring to Kerry’s suggestion to Pakistan to cap its nuclear programme, he rightly responded that it was India that was stockpiling nuclear weapons and not Pakistan, as the latter’s nuclear programme was designed for deterrence.
The fact is that the US is working to destabilise the region by adopting a discriminatory approach on the nuclear issue. Its civil nuclear deal with India and subsequent Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waiver, in disregard of the NPT provisions and guidelines for the NSG, clearly indicate a tilt towards India. Reports compiled by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISSI) and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) substantiate the fact that the NSG waiver for India has allowed it to exponentially increase its stocks of fissile material.
This tilt towards India can best be understood as the US’s attempt to prop up India as a regional super power and a counterweight to the burgeoning influence of China in the region and beyond. The US and its western allies are more than eager to strengthen ties with India, as part of their strategy to promote and strengthen their strategic interests in the region as well as grabbing lucrative deals in the domain of defence and nuclear energy. Their objectives are clearly subservient to expediency, rather than a rational and faithful adherence to the cause of global nuclear non-proliferation. The US’ insistence that Pakistan must limit its nuclear capabilities also stems from the same considerations.
Pakistan and the US clearly have opposing strategic interests in the region. Pakistan rightly perceives India as the biggest threat to its security and cannot afford to compromise on the issue. If nuclear weapons are perceived as a real threat to regional and global peace, why does the US not give the same advice to India? To reaffirm its credentials as an honest strategic partner of Pakistan, the US should be working to promote stability and security in the region through a non-discriminatory approach.
Although Pakistan is not a signatory to the NPT, it fulfils the criteria laid down by the NSG for its member countries. Pakistan has the ability to supply nuclear items covered in the NSG guidelines; it has enforced a legal domestic export control system; it has complied with obligations under the NPT and other treaties; It supports international efforts for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles; and it has a fool-proof command and control system, which has also been acknowledged by the US itself.
A mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the US and Pakistan cannot be conceived unless the US revisits its discriminatory approach to the nuclear issue in the regional context, and plays a role in promoting the stability and security of the region by helping resolve the disputes between India and Pakistan. Our dilemma is that we cannot even afford complete estrangement with the world superpower.
However, we must try to keep a safe distance to keep our identity intact. Enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation, without compromising our national interests and security should be our top priority, as stated by Sartaj Aziz in his press briefing.http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/104591-Strategic-partnership
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