Author: sammilogger

By all standards Pakistan – my beloved motherland has had very painful, agonising and bad 2022. In general unfortunate country has been at its crossroads every now and then, however, in particular it has suffered immensely since Sep 11, 2001. In spite of zero role in that cataclysmic global event Pakistan came to suffer, sacrifice and bleed the most. Nature has its own ways. Even in case of environmental change, with below 1% Carbon emissions, Pakistan got greater suffering than it deserved through floods of 2022.

It may be highly painful and debatable point to analyse what brought Pakistan to this stage. Every one will analyse the causes from one’s own perspective. Without getting into controversy, who did what? I believe no one left any stone unturned in our journey to self destruction. We as citizens of this country always remained overawed by our desire to serve our vested interests. We shied away to look beyond our nose and remained focused on self interest, interest of smaller groups while keeping interest of Pakistan at the tail. In this pursuit our leadership also remained exuberant in serving interests of external powers more than interests of the people of Pakistan.

It’s my belief that nature bestows upon us OPPORTUNITIES. It’s in our hands to convert these opportunities into blessings or curses. I shall like to dwell upon three areas which have adversely affected Pakistan as the most. I will call these as THREE CURSES faced by Pakistan. First curse is lack of visionary leadership. I shall not single out any particular group, I will include leadership of all segments of society. Even a teacher including a religious teacher is a leader. Providence didn’t spare Muhammas Ali Jinnah to provide strong foundation to newly created country. He was seen off by a leadership whom he himself called as KHOTAY SIKKAY (fired cartridges). The leadership bestowed upon hapless people of Pakistan, began to ruthlessly grab Pakistan. They did nothing on human resource development and rather kept people of Pakistan farthest from teachings of Quran, Prophet PBUH and those of founding fathers. They began to ruthlessly serve their vested interests which were always facilitated through service of interests of global players. Like any society there are three grooming places for the new generations. School, mosque and home. All three are dysfunctional. School is teaching cheating, mosque is teaching violence and home is indifferent. Whom to blame? THE LEADER (the teacher, religious teacher, political leader, military leader, leader of a family and leaders of all hues)

Second curse is an extremely troublesome neighbourhood. Friends can be chosen but neighbours are given. In the East we have India which is mean to the core. It leaves no opportunity to damage Pakistan. India has been termed by Rajesh Shigri as boorish, condescending and overbearing towards its neighbours. Not only Pakistan but whole of SA is suffering due to intransigence of India. In the West we have Afghanistan. For over 200 years, Afghanistan has remained disturbed and dysfunctional. It has never been able to live in peace within and with out. Two of provinces of Pakistan neighbouring Afghanistan get seriously troubled. Iran a predominately Shia country is arrogant and views Pakistan from the prism of Shia-Sunni discord.

The third curse lies in Strategic Location. There are two dimensions to it. Firstly, Afghanistan and Pakistan have repeatedly come to the centre stage of global geopolitics. Every time they have paid a heavy price. Anglo-Afghan wars, finale of Cold War, GWOT; all played havoc with this region. Afghanistan known to be graveyard of empires has itself become a graveyard in the process. Pakistan has bled profusely in terms of human blood, economy, infrastructure, national character and image of the country. Secondly, this strategic location bestowed upon Pakistan and its national leadership a stature higher than its potential. Pakistan enjoyed transactional relationship with the US which always ended in a divorce. TV Paul has said, while ME suffers from resource curse, Pakistan suffers from strategic curse. ME has abundance of resources and thus lacks motivation to work hard. Whereas Pakistan gets easy money due to its strategic location so lacks motivation to work hard. While ME seems to have overcome its curse, Pakistan still seems to be encumbered by it.

The main question is what to do? People of Pakistan must take their destiny in their own hands. Leadership of Pakistan is overweighted by external opinions more than internal opinions.

There is so much of disorder in Pakistan which warrants a sustained effort of decades to improve. However, for 2023, People of Pakistan and more importantly leaders of Pakistan on the whole can make a resolution. If we all pick one and only one golden principle from each of our founding fathers, we can be a different society. Quaide Azam had said, “our duty to the state comes first; our duty to our province, to our district, to our town, and our village and ourselves comes next”. We need to pick this injunction of Quaide Azam and place Pakistan at top consideration in all of our individual and collective pursuits. From Allama Iqbal we should pick the concept of Uprightness. We shall not be selling our conscience for petty gains. Neither at national level nor at individual level. By just following these two principles we can become a different nation or group of people.

Long live Pakistan. Long live people of Pakistan. Allah may bless us wisdom and courage to serve our beloved country for better future for our coming generations

https://sammilogger.blog/2018/05/27/imperilled-pakistan/ My blog of 27 May 2018. Seems most relevant as of today

Today is the 75th Birthday of Pakistan as well as the Independence Day of people of Pakistan. 74 such days have been celebrated ahead of this day with national zeal and fervour, but this day stands unique. It is unique due to menacing external threats and debilitating internal strife. The day is being celebrated with national zeal and fervour.

While the common man is visible on the streets, standing for Pakistan, displaying his love for Pakistan, displaying zeal and fervour for his motherland; the elite seems busy in its grab. Grab of power, grab of wealth, grab of self glory, even grab of country itself.

Once state of Pakistan is dispassionately analysed, one comes to conclusion that the biggest cause of Pakistan’s plight has been poor leadership (all inclusive). At the time of creation of Pakistan, providence did not give enough of life to Muhammad Ali Jinnah to give strong foundation to the nascent and feeble state. He passed away in less than 13 months. He had said in his life that he had KHOTE SIKKAY (Fake Coins) in his pocket; apparently referring to leadership surrounding him. It seemed same KHOTE SIKKAY are ruling Pakistan till today.

Pakistan has had a leadership which failed to look beyond its nose. Which remained overwhelmed by vested interests. Which was self-serving. Which wasn’t sincere to the purpose. They were good at raising slogans but failed to walk the talk. GUFTAAR KE GHAZI BAN TO GAEY KIRDAAR KE GHAZI BAN NA SAKAY (they became heroes of talk but couldn’t become heroes of character). There is a usual Chicken and Egg debate ie which preceded what? Did immaturity of political leadership invite military interventions or military interventions didn’t let political leadership to mature. It has been a vicious cycle and unfortunately military leadership also suited well to global geopolitics of respective times. The politics today being played in Pakistan indicate as if Pakistan is frozen in 19th century. Demands of 21st century are way different.

Heart of a thinking mind bleeds in seeing motherland bleeding profusely. Leadership is fake, narratives are fake, results of elections are manipulated and the country doesn’t seem to be on right track. Wrong is prevailing and right is cornered. Hard work isn’t incentivised rather unfair means are incentivised. Merit is culled and talent is buried. The common man feels frustrated because he doesn’t find his future in his hands, rather he sees it in hands of individuals serving vested interests.

Pakistan is faced with two battles. One is outside Pakistan and the second is inside Pakistan. Outside battle is regarding which camp Pakistan will be in; US or China. Inside battle is between the Status-quo and non-status-quo forces. These two battles are intertwined. Status-quo forces comprise erstwhile political parties which have badly decayed. PPP created by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto an Oxford alumni is now in grab of Asif Ali Zardari. PML created by Muhammad Ali Jinnah is now led by Mian Nawaz Sharif. JUI founded by Maulana Maudoodi is led by Maulana Fazal ur Rehman. Non status-quo forces are led by PTI.

Silver lining is that people of Pakistan are getting more aware. Even little babies of Pakistan are aware that who looted Pakistan. If we talk of future, besides rhetoric and waiting for Allah; people of Pakistan have to rise to the occasion. People of Pakistan have to make our leadership believe that internal opinion matters more than external opinion. Pakistan is owned by people of Pakistan and not by coterie of elite or US or China. People of Pakistan has to win both these battles in the best interest of Pakistan. In my opinion, destiny of Pakistan is linked with China and not the US. Secondly Pakistan has to transit to 21st century in ethics, morals and practices.

Pakistan society has suffered from haemorrhages and decay particularly in last four decades. These were the decades of conflict, destruction and wars. While 1978 makes a benchmark for China to take an upwards flight, 1979 makes a benchmark for Pakistan for a downwards flight. It’s natural that owing to perpetual conflict, evolution of civil society as enunciated by Ibne Khaldoon, either retards or gets in retrograde motion. The case of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s neighbouring regions makes a perfect study.

The perpetual conflict has impacted us in many ways. We have suffered loss of blood, money, infrastructure, values of society and most menacingly our national character. All losses will be less daunting to recover than that of national character. In the overall setting of corruption, lack of merit and serving of vested interests, there are few glaring aspects of this loss. Firstly, societies are driven by guilt or shame. These two feelings inhibit a human from committing a sin. Unfortunately both have ceased to exist in our society. Nothing inhibits us from committing a crime or a sin.

Secondly, this environment has created a breed of street smart people who are sycophants, nouveau riche, opportunists and yes-men. These are the people who have been ruling the roost and dominating the system. They see talented and competent people as a threat. So they contrive and rally together to cull merit, talent and competence. Consequently on the whole, in our society while the RIGHT is cornered the WRONG is thriving.

Thirdly, the leadership lacked motivation to develop human resource. Though they justified their actions by citing lack of resources. Human resource development neither serves their political interests nor interests of the breed mentioned in preceding para. Notwithstanding, what we have done to earlier generations, we have successfully corrupted the system for growth of our coming generations. There are three grooming places for a child, school, mosque and home. Schools are teaching cheating, mosque is teaching violence and home is indifferent.

There is yet another aspect to this. In my view while political interests pull us to the left, national interests pull us to the right. Unless these converge we shall not be able to develop as a society. It’s a national interest that people should be educated. Whereas, no Vadera, no Sardar, no Saneen, no lord wants his people to be educated. It’s also a national interest that people should be secure. Just to cite an example, Karachi; a city of 25M people is being managed by 30000 police force. If we exclude police on protocol duties and use combat potential of a London policeman as a yardstick, Karachi is being managed by 1000 policemen. No government will put it right because security of people isn’t a political interest.

Perpetual conflict prevailing in and around Pakistan had a lot to do with our superior strategic location. TV Paul had said, while Middle East is suffering from resource curse, Pakistan is suffering from Strategic curse. He further qualified that people of Middle East due to abundance of natural resources lacked motivation to work hard. Whereas, in case of Pakistan superior strategic location earned them easy money so they lacked motivation to work hard. Easy money has indeed damaged us in many ways.

Pakistan is also suffering from the dilemma of parachuted leadership. Parag Khanna in his book Future is Asian has argued that countries of Asia whose leadership rise from grass root level and climb rungs of ladder would be in step with Asian Century. Whereas the countries where leadership comes through parachute would lack behind.

On the whole, this complex environment has culled virtues and instilled vices in our society. We lost ability to call a-spade-a-spade, ability to say what was wrong. In my opinion, no individual, power or organisation can do better accountability than people of Pakistan. If people start questioning the ruling elite on bad things they do, it will impose caution and deterrence on them. Else they will continue to disregard interests of people and serve their vested interests. I have held a view since long that more than anything else, Pakistan needs social reforms. We need to bring back our values, our ethics and national character. In order to do that, first and foremost is that we ought to be strategically correct. Yet again we don’t have to be friends for war. We only should be friends for peace. Fighting other’s wars can fetch us couple of dollars but will devastate us as a nation much more menacingly than earlier cases.

In the absence of an apt leadership, Pakistan has remained directionless for quite some time. It has been akin to a flotilla of rudderless ships. Notwithstanding many shortcomings, on the whole, Imran Khan seemed to be providing a direction to the society. Apparently, political and national interests seemed to be converging. He focused on raising conscience of the people, he has given awareness to the people. People have begun to question the leadership. People are picking courage to call wrong, what is wrong. IK or no IK, Pakistan is changing very fast and that’s the way to go. People of Pakistan have to take reins in their own hands. Else will they will continue to be exploited by one vested-interest-serving group or the other.

Published in Pakistan Observer on 6 Feb 2022

THE insurgency in Balochistan is on the rise.No words can assuage the loss of lives of valiant sons of the soil who are offering blood, as well as of misguided insurgents.

I had the opportunity to serve Balochistan from 2012 to 14.My exposure to disturbed seventeen southern districts of the province was rewarding on one extreme but appalling, painful, and worrisome on the other.

After service to Balochistan, I also got the opportunity to do my PhD in Strategic Security Management of CPEC.

My offerings in subsequent paras are based on these two experiences.Right at the outset, I shall like to say that, such threats had been foreseen and the state will prevail In Sha Allah upon elements who are trying to serve the interests of enemies of Pakistan.

In the 20th century geopolitics of the region, two provinces of Pakistan adjoining Afghanistan ie Balochistan and the KP suffered the most.

Balochistan remained more unfortunate for multiple reasons viz poor management, poor governance, and two front situation ie unstable Afghanistan on one border and estranged Iran on the other.

Perennial neglect, injustices at the state level and the vested-interest-serving elite has created feelings of alienation and deprivation.

Interestingly, the British ruled Balochistan through two cardinal principles; appeasement of Sardars and keeping the masses alienated.

Unfortunately, with the lack of ingenuity, even Pakistan continued to follow the same principles.

I would like to substantiate my assertions with examples.1986 was my first visit to Quetta, I was then surprised to notice that despite being a provincial capital, English newspapers reached Quetta by 4 pm and the day there was no flight there was no newspaper.

As late as 2014, I didn’t find any improvement in this domain in spite of the era of the internet.

There is no improvement in the connectivity of Balochistan with the rest of the country for a long.

In the early 2010s, coastal highways and the start of night flights in Quetta may be seen as small pinpricks.

Dera Bugti and Kohlu are the most disturbed districts of Balochistan, no effort has been made to offset the British approach of a single entry and exit to these districts.

In the 80s PTV Station of Quetta was the most vibrant station, which launched new actors and popular TV dramas, now it’s non-existent.

General Musharraf paid extra attention to the neglected province.From 1947 to 2002, Rs 200 B were allocated to Balochistan for development, whereas from 2002 to 2008, Rs 400 B were allocated.

However, this money reached deep pockets and failed to improve the lot of the masses.

General Musharraf for the sake of better governance converted the Category B* area of Balochistan (which is 95% of the total area of Balochistan) to Category A but the very next government reversed this decision to serve the interests of Sardars.

There was not a single cardiac centre in entire Balochistan as late as 2014.Quetta as provincial capital lacked behind the rest by 30-40 years.

In the discharge of my duties, I extensively travelled through seventeen critical districts of Balochistan.

Abject poverty, social inadequacies, state of management, lack of connectivity was mind-boggling, to say the least.

On a governance template, one can still find as low as 2-5% governance in parts of Balochistan.

With a view to addressing the root causes of the insurgency, firstly, the State of Pakistan has to realise that, the province of Balochistan has transited from a ‘backyard and wasteland’ to a ‘region of immense strategic importance’.

Balochistan is critical for not only the prosperity of Pakistan but also for the future ambitions of China.

Secondly, the forces which are against the growth of Pakistan and the rise of China are anticipated to resort to such acts of terrorism.

We should be prepared to face such challenges.

Thirdly, in the media-savvy environment, feelings of alienation, deprivation and injustices get more pronounced.

Thus, it’s important to address the root causes of insurgency.The connectivity of Balochistan with the rest of the country should be improved.

Feelings of injustices, deprivation, alienation and social inadequacies should be mitigated and eradicated at a fast track.

Numerous projects are already being executed but the scale, speed and expanse need to be increased manifold.

The participation of the people of Balochistan in future plans and projects is a MUST.70 years of inadequacies can only be addressed through crash action and sincerity of purpose.

—The writer is a former DG ISSRA, National Defence University, Islamabad.

https://fb.watch/9l0aoZzUNE/

Above video is getting viral. The narrator is building a case that poor work ethics of people of Pakistan are due to buffalo milk. It’s indeed a forceful projection of a narrative, however, I want to give different perspective.

Towards fag end of my military career, I had opportunity to manage live stock of Pakistan Army. My views are based on my exposure to the subject and my reflections.

Mother Nature has blessed Buffalo to very less regions of the world and the developed world is endowed with Cow. So milk producing animal of developed world is cow and that of countries of our region is buff. Apparently, it’s bizarre that Mother Nature produced a black skinned animal for warmer regions of the world. However, justifications and logics of Mother Nature are beyond our comprehension. These may be unbeknownst to us. Our lack of knowledge doesn’t mean Mother Nature could have gone wrong. Latest research is also proving that Buff milk is far better than cow milk.

If we admit that Mother Nature always has a sound justification for something prevailing on the globe, then how can buff milk be bad for us. Developed world had wherewithal to carry out all the research on their animal ie Cow. Whereas our animal ie Buff remained neglected due to our poor research ability. Developed world has always belittled our animal. The gentleman in the video got carried away with same logic of the West. He resorted to self-bashing.

Indeed we are lethargic, we are less active, we are less aggressive, we are slackers; but the reason doesn’t lie in what he has identified. The reason lies else where. Which I shall attempt to identify in next blog. Allah may bless us all.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pakistan-china-indulging-proxy-war-india-jammu-kashmir-bipin-rawat-1868585-2021-10-23

In 2009, heading a delegation to the US, I got an opportunity to interact with the US authorities. In those years, India had set the stage for two front scenario for Pakistan. India was staring into our eyes from the East and had wherewithal to vitiate our Western Front. We complained to the US authorities regarding Indian involvement in terrorism from Afghanistan into Pakistan. Then there were 8 consulates of India strung along Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

US authorities suffering from their wilful BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious) countered our allegation saying that they always hear such complaints from Pakistani delegates but they (US) haven’t found any evidence. I retorted that, any one who knows history of animosity of Pakistan and India doesn’t need any evidence. Logically speaking none of the two countries, given an opportunity will leave any stone unturned to harm the opponent.

Even since then, though Pakistan has provided ample evidence but US has stuck to their BFO.

Nature has its own way of turning the tables. I had predicted since long that; with the withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan, two aspects will be corrected by default. Firstly, unjustified political dispensation in Afghanistan will be rectified ie minority will cease to rule the majority and majority will get back its right to rule. It has already happened. Secondly, India will be cut to size, that has too happened.

Unlike Geopolitics of 19 and 20th century, one is good thing is happening incase of Geopolitics of 21st century. More or so the West/US stays as one antagonist where as China is emerging as second antagonist. India is replacing Pakistan as a conduit and Hindu fundamentalist is replacing Muslim fundamentalist as fodder for fighting. Pakistan is over with the dirty part of the game, India will serve this purpose for the US incase of 21st century Geopolitics.

Above quoted statement of Indian CDS, speaks of India’s fear of tasting its own medicine. The time has come for India to reap what it has sown. I have no reasons to substantiate that it’s actually happening but again taking corollary from my previous argument, why shall Pakistan waste an opportunity to pay back to India what it received in past two decades.

In short I will say to Indians, ABBAHI TO PRTY SHUROO HOI HAI, (stay calm, the party has just begun)

Social media has removed all barriers from sharing of information. In a way it’s highly beneficial in sharing of knowledge. However, no technological advancement is free of pitfalls. Improvement in connectivity of the globe and it’s turning into global village has eroded control of a nation-state on flow of information. Accessibility to new technologies is providing similar exposure to developed, semi-developed and underdeveloped societies. Here development doesn’t imply economic development. Rather it implies development in ethics, morality and morals.

Developed societies have a combined ability to draw maximum benefits and ward off pitfall. However, story of underdeveloped societies is far different. They get overwhelmed by pitfalls of new technology.

Pakistan is a society which has suffered societal decay due to many reasons but mainly prolonged conflict. Prolonged conflict created anti-merit environment by throwing up a breed of sycophants, parvenues and opportunists. These conflicts brought in easy money and craze for materialistic pursuits. These conflicts eroded ethics, morals and values of society. Societies are driven by shame and guilt. Both these stop a human from committing a sin. Both these attributes have disappeared from Pakistani society.

Societal decay along with lack-lustre management and regulation has created a dangerous mix. Social media has provided a platform to further damage our ethics. Since there is no system of attributability of content on social media. People are holding no bars in baseless allegations. Islam strictly stops us from levelling allegations on others. However, utterly against these teachings and ethics, as a society we have started drawing pleasure in ridiculing and dishonouring others. Worst is happening against women of fame.

It’s so immoral that pornographic material is attributed to a lady of fame even if there is 10 percent of resemblance of personalities in the clip. Such clips then spread like fire on social media by irresponsible sharing. No system can check unhealthy trends in society unless each member of society realises his or her responsibility. It’s deplorable to see even so called educated lot further sharing such clips while even an insane person can find inadequate reasons to believe that clip of that particular personality.

It is said that such trend was initiated by political parties to malign opponents. But no one realises that such trends can backfire onto us. It’s already happening and the environment has gone so filthy that anything can be attributed to anyone without impunity.

Political parties being a source of leadership for the society must shun such elements who are ruthless in maligning opponents based on unethical, baseless, concocted and fabricated allegations. If one party is doing other may not respond in same kind because two wrongs don’t make a right. Allah may bless us with true spirit of Islam.

Humiliation of a superpower in Afghanistan has created serious ramifications for the region as well as the globe. Victory of Taliban is bound to initiate a chain of events with long lasting impact. Biggest ramification of the defeat of superpower is that it’s myth of invincibility has been broken

In the context of geopolitics, I had authored an article on Golden Ring of Security in 2018. Same became part of my PhD dissertation. Amidst global transitions, new regions and alliances are emerging. Shifting of power from West to East, Rise of China to replace US as superpower, change in global polarity and Rise of Asia are well accepted outcomes.

Within ambit of these global transitions, hitherto-fore not so integrated countries are finding convergence of interests. Concept of Golden Ring of Security (GROS) is based on a regional alliance between Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey. The contours of such a regional grouping have already started to emerge. This alliance is best suited for seeking stability in Afghanistan which I have identified as Threat No1 to CPEC in particular and ambitions of China in general. These regional countries can play a better role in Afghanistan because these are directly impacted by instability in Afghanistan.

Sudden shift in Afghanistan can also have impact on Pakistan related to fillip in activities of TTP. Allama Iqbal had called Afghanistan as heart of Asia. Heart purifies and supplies blood to organs. If Afghanistan becomes functional it will have impact on entire Asia.

This blog is intended to focus on how religion of Islam might gain from victory of Taliban in Afghanistan. If Taliban can exhibit greater maturity (which they are already doing) in giving good governance to Afghanistan, then this victory can become first drop of resurgence of Islam.

Militant Jihad though disfigured in certain cases has been more prevalent in the Muslim World due to global political injustices. Hamas has already greeted Taliban on assumption of power. Taliban have too repeatedly hinted at struggle for liberation of Kashmir. Jihad might again gain prevalence which got bashing for its lumping with terrorism.

Islam as an ideology of justified struggle has gained through success of Taliban. It is foreseen that the victory of Taliban may become harbinger of resurgence of Islam which is long over due.

The world is aghast with the outcome in Afghanistan. Indeed it is utter amazement how a superpower has been humbled and embarrassed in the hands of irregular forces. This is what I had written in my book, titled Fighting Shadows in 2018,

“Alas! If Soviet Union had known that Afghanistan was a “graveyard for empires”. One wonders whether the same statement may be repeated tomorrow with reference to the US”

The statement is indeed being repeated. One is bewildered to say the least that how a superpower could be so grossly wrong in its assessments, analysis and intelligence. Weeks ago President Biden asserted that Taliban take over of Kabul was not inevitable. Three days ago US intelligence agencies had predicted that Kabul might fall in 90 days. It has taken 1/30th of time for Kabul to fall. Gross miscalculation seems an understatement.

Almighty superpower has been left to beg Taliban for safety of its embassy staff. It’s equally appalling that a superpower didn’t have contingency planning for evacuation of its embassy staff. First they extricated all troops and then re-inducted a contingent of 6000 soldiers.

On initiation of Operation Enduring Freedom, General Pervez Musharraf had demanded from the US that Northern Alliance should not come to Kabul mounting US tanks. However, the US had no other option because it had to ally with enemy of Taliban. The day Northern Alliance came to Kabul mounting US tanks, the same day India moved into Afghanistan. India had a hey-day with favourable government in Kabul.

Withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan was bound to rectify two distortions in the country due to its presence. Firstly, a flawed political dispensation had to be rectified. Minority rule had to give way to majority rule. Secondly, India had to be cut to size. Both have happened much earlier than expectations.

The tables in Afghanistan haven’t turned rather these have been catapulted. The speed of change is mind boggling. 20 years efforts, money, planning and nation building has gone down the drain.

Rapid changes in Kabul will augur well for overall CPEC related prospective growth and development in the region.

In the emerging contours of 21st Century Geopolitics, Pakistan is feeling the heat.

It’s unfortunate but a stark reality that akin to hither-to-fore Pakistan is once again coming to the centre stage of rivalry of giants. First British and Soviet Empire, then US and Soviet Empire, then US and forces of disorder (so to say) and now US and China.

The mere criticality and importance of Pakistan for China as well as contending US is amply proven through two accounts; firstly what kind of efforts China is putting in to retain Pakistan and CPEC and secondly, what kind of efforts opposing camp is putting-in to wean Pakistan away from China and CPEC.

Once again the US has shown how ruthless it is in using and dumping others. Bad days for Pakistan started in particular with new year Tweet of President Trump ie 1 Jan 2018. Then it dawned on to the US that safe exit from Afghanistan isn’t possible sans support of Pakistan. Thus same POTUS reinitiated a bonhomie with Pakistan culminating in visit of PMIK to the US. Now that safe exit has been secured, Pakistan is finding yet again estranged US.

Whatever is happening to Pakistan now, amounts to testing its nerves. Snubbing of Pakistan at environment conference called by President Biden, then snubbing of Pakistan by refusal of President Biden to make a telephone call to PMIK and now snubbing of Pakistan by not inviting to UNSC special session is part of same orchestration. It is aimed at bringing unbearable pressure on to Pakistan. Ultimately, it comes to test of nerves of leadership.

In my PhD dissertation, Coercive US has been identified as one of main threats to CPEC. Pakistan is in deed being coerced.

Iran next doors is excellent example of resoluteness and display of steel nerves. It is expected that Pakistan will display similar steel nerves for betterment of future generations of Pakistan. Opposing forces will try their best. If we succumb we are doomed, we keep standing, these storms with wither away. I am very hopeful that present leadership will not succumb to these pressures and coercion.