IN almost four years of his rule former Prime Minister Imran Khan left behind a chequered legacy of verbal abuse, favoritism, cronyism, questionable appointments and a long list of political blunders damaging and hurting the foreign policy of the country .
On his questionable appointment he was seen as charismatic and charming but in hindsight after his departure he is now perceived as erratic, master of uturns who pursued isolationist and nation damaging policies. He managed to offend the US and created bad blood with Iran and the European Union and annoying the very close friend Saudi Arabia. Immediately after entering office he made the biggest political blunder of his tenure by the selection of Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister Punjab.
The only grounds for his selection were inspirational and mystic instructions from Bushra Bibi and according to a comment in the press “Imran Khan suggested that since 1996 till early 2018, not a single member of PTI was competent enough for the most important post after P.M. Buzdar has completely failed to leave a mark in any domain, be it governance, reforms, politics or media handling.” During the short rule of the Imran regime the most damaging blunders and gaffes were committed in the diplomatic sphere some could have been deliberate and some based on ignorance or sheer incompetence of the people surrounding their favorite Kaptaan.
The incompetent foreign policy team of Imran Khan failed miserably to prepare for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and almost two years were wasted after the US-Taliban Doha agreement and then to rub salt in the wounds thousands of TTP fighters were allowed to come and settle in the northern agencies of Pakistan. This regime diminished and ignored the China-Pakistan economic corridor CPEC putting in danger the country’s economic future and damaging the strategic China Pakistan friendship of the last many decades. The appeasement policies of this regime encouraged the saffron brigade of India led By the PM Narender Modi to annex and illegally make the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir as part of the Indian Union something they had not dared to do during the last 78 years. Imran Khan and his close advisors have repeatedly spoken ignorantly on the most sensitive issues of national security and foreign relations with important states of the world. Such blunders and diplomatic gaffes are far too numerous to list here but one of his most daring blunders was to tell the New York Times“Mr Modi’s government might actually be the best possible option for settling the Kashmir conflict” and to declare to a US entertainment channel in June 2021 that “The moment there is a settlement on Kashmir…
We will not need to have nuclear deterrents.” Imran Khan’s blatantly undiplomatic statement after the Taliban captured Kabul that the “Taliban have broken the shackles of slavery” made a laughing stock of the country, drew sharp criticism from the western media and established Pakistan as a pro Taliban country and Mr. Imran himself was named Taliban Khan by the media. This attitude distanced the US and Pak-US relations touched their nadir in the last thirty years or so, The US downgraded its diplomatic relations with Pakistan and the US-Pak strategic dialogue remained suspended. His statement of “Absolutely Not” regarding US bases in Pakistan, and the subsequent US clarification that no bases were ever requested, have exposed the shambolic nature of his diplomacy.
So has his regime’s circus over US President Biden not having telephoned the Pakistani prime minister since Biden took office in January 2021. This Govt. was extremely confused and ignorant about CPEC and anti CPEC statements from Imran Khan and the neglect of CPEC projects sent some very negative and damaging signals to China. China was deeply annoyed and hurt by the Talban attacks on Chinese workers in KPK and Baluchistan. IK’s appeasement of India was exposed glaringly when India responded to announcement of the Kartarpur corridor with strikes on Balakot, when Indian fighter aircraft violated Pakistan’s international border after 48 years. Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan’s hasty release by Pakistan had an effect opposite to what was intended. It hardened Modi’s stance during his victorious election campaign two months later. After his return from the USA in July 2019 he stated “Feeling that I have come after winning the world cup” and this actually was the worst foreign policy and security crisis for the country since the birth f Bangladesh. This government’s response to the annexation of IIOJK had been inept, indecisive, and intellectually bankrupt.
The prime minister’s claim of knowing the West more than anyone was betrayed as a hollow boast when the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a review of the 2014 GSP+ trade concessions granted to Pakistan due to concerns regarding human rights violations, including attacks on journalists. It is no coincidence that for the last one year, the position of Pakistan’s trade representative in Brussels has been vacant. In its September 16 resolution on Afghanistan, the EU Parliament once again instructed the EU diplomatic service to consider if there is reason to immediately review Pakistan’s eligibility for GSP+ status.The PM’s ill-informed public attack in June 2021 on Pakistan’s Foreign Service stirred an uproar amongst serving Pakistani diplomats as well as former ambassadors. The furor forced the prime minister to retract his statement, but the damage is done and it is deep.
The writer is Professor of History, based in Islamabad.
