The question whether Pakistan
is really being isolated needs a fair answer. Somehow successful propaganda has
been made to give an impression that the Afghanistan-India collaboration has
managed to paint Pakistan black in and outside of the United States. Major role
in this connection has been played by a video of Hussain Haqqani that is viral
on social media these days. Recently, HH has joined with the Indian lobby to
tarnish the image of Pakistan. Moreover, since April when Congress obstructed
the Obama administration’s plans to spend $430 million through the US foreign
military financing budget to subsidize the sale of F-16 fighter jets, there has
been a continuous decline in US-Pakistan relations.
Despite all this, Pakistan is fairly managing well to assert itself in the
international diplomatic circles. Though the propaganda is not being given a
befitting response because of lack of capacity and capability, yet it is
beginning the pace with the Prime Minister’s comeback after the open-heart
surgery in London. The Prime Minister staged his comeback with his sojourn to
Muzaffarabad after the PML-N victory in the elections. The next day there was a
marathon meeting of the National Security Council in which the issues of
national interest were discussed threadbare, including Indian atrocities in the
Occupied Kashmir. The Prime Minister hurled a warning to India calling upon New
Delhi to eschew the path of barbarity on the unarmed innocent youth of IOK,
followed by a harsh reaction from the Indian side.
On July 25 he telephoned President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan and while
condemning the Sunday bombings of the ethnic minority Hazara’s rally, he offered
all kind of help in its investigations. Before him, reliable sources were quoted
as saying that the Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif also called Afghan
President Ashraf Ghani and condemned the Kabul rally bombings, offering all kind
of help in the investigations. The President thanked both Nawaz Sharif and
Raheel Sharif for their concern and stressed upon the need to act together
against the terrorists.
Punjab’s Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif went to China for more investments and
enhanced bilateral relations. The Chinese have started using a term “Punjab
Speed” as a role model, not only for morale boosting of workers but also to
motivate them to accomplish their assigned tasks in the extraordinary way he is
doing in the Punjab province. Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Nasser Khan
Janjua carried Prime Minister’s special message to Tehran. While positively
responding, the Iranian government assured Pakistan that it would not allow a
third country to sabotage relations between the two friendly neighbours. They
stressed the need of the hour that Iran and Pakistan must design a joint
mechanism to thwart the threat and take measures to deal with the new security
situation.
On the other hand Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif dashed to Cairo on a
two-day official visit, where the Egyptian government sought Pakistan’s help to
transfer expertise and training techniques for fighting terrorists, which
manifests successes of the all encompassing Zarb-e-Azb operation. Gen Raheel met
the Egyptian Defence Minister and Chief of Staff separately after his arrival in
Cairo and both sides vowed to synergize all efforts and resources to fight and
eliminate terrorism. Egyptian leaders expressed specific interest in benefiting
from Pakistan Army’s experience in all facets of fighting terrorism including
countering IEDs.
Recently a high-powered US delegation led by Senator John McCain visited
Pakistan and met General Raheel Sharif at his Rawalpindi Headquarters. The
delegation also visited the Waziristan areas of operation. Senator McCain
expressed his pleasure and appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to fight out
terrorists. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr Maleeha Lodhi, has
forcefully highlighted the issue of Kashmir before the world body.
The PAF Chief was recently on the visit of Russia on the invitation of the
Russian Defence industry. Obviously such visit invitation is a hint that Russian
defence and aviation industry is opening up its products for Pakistan. Air Chief
Marshal Sohail Aman visited the Air Base and Aviation Industrial Complex in
Moscow and monitored performance of modern fighter jets and other important
military hardware. He was briefed about the role and tasks of Russian Air Force
and was shown various aircraft on its inventory. He highlighted the significance
of having mutual training programs and conduct of Operational Exercises of the
two Air Forces to benefit from each other’s experiences.
Later, he met the aviation industry hierarchy of Russia for exploring multiple
options with special regard to enhancing cooperation in technical fields. Air
Chief Marshal Sohail Aman also called on Colonel-General Victor Bondarev,
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation Aerospace Force, and discussed
matters of professional and mutual interest. Both agreed for increasing
bilateral cooperation in particular and Aviation industry in general, and
boosting aviation technology jointly.
Emerging geopolitical dynamics in the region have also witnessed cordial
relations between Pakistan and Russia in various fields including the defence
sector. Russia and Pakistan had bitter relations in the past, dating back to the
Russian invasion of Afghanistan when Pakistan was allying with the US and West
against the Russian onslaught. However, with the changing geopolitics, Pakistan
and Russia have come close to each other with Russia gradually opening up its
defence industry for Pakistan. Bilateral visits of the highest level defence
dignitaries of both the states have taken place in the recent past. Russia is
delivering Pakistan with the state of the art Mi35 combat helicopters and the
defence collaboration between the two states is likely to be enhanced further in
coming days. Pakistan Air Force has also shown interest in the latest Russian
Su-30 Fighter Jets.
The holding of crucial meeting of the representatives of Pakistan, Afghanistan
and the United States in the Afghan capital on July 26 was to flesh out an
agreement aimed at improving coordination between the border security forces of
the two neighbours. The move came on the heels of a border flare-up last month
over the installation of a security gate. Pakistan remains firm on its efforts
to manage the border on its side to check the crossing over of the terrorists
from Afghanistan’s side.
The success of Zarb-e-Azb operation and the firm and bold stand of General
Raheel Sharif has played a pivotal role in giving a rethink towards Pakistan.
Those who have not been in talking terms are ready to forge alliance with the
army or benefit from its experiences to tackle the menace of terrorism. Saudi
Arabia reportedly went to an extent by offering Gen Raheel to accept the slot of
the commander of joint Islamic forces after his retirement. One is hopeful that
if all is not well, then all is not unwell. If there is disappointment, then
there lies hope also. Pakistan needs to gear up its diplomatic efforts in order
to highlight to the world the Indian atrocities in Held Kashmir, effectively and
resourcefully.