Stand for Pakistan
If India gives any military base(s) to America, China will annex its territories.
Beijing’s policy is clear from China’s troop deployment along India’s borders and the areas visited by the India’s Army chief lately.
There are media reports of China centric Quad military base(s) for the US Navy on the islands under India’s control when required. This ambiguous policy helps Quad but it also allows Beijing to justify its India policy.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister has categorically denied giving military bases to America during his last US visit.
The agreement has ended because Obama called off war against terrorism in 2013. Biden has also ordered US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan to end forever US wars.
It is good opportunity to have long-term alliance with America to build modern parliamentary democracy, judiciary, education, training, individual freedoms, media, accountability and transparency.
Islamabad has been warned on military bases, which is unacceptable. Like any country, Pakistan has every right to adopt balanced policy to protect its national interests.
Our past military alliances have destroyed our democracy, constitution and global standing.
Pakistan should reengage with rest of the world but on its own terms to build real multiparty parliamentary democracy, a strong economy, IT, individual freedoms and free media.
These things cannot be provided by one country, a monarchy or a presidential system. Public wants end of corruption, which is result of our alliance with the West.
The majority of US wars were illegal because presidents started them without the approval of Congress. They outsourced these wars to fund them.
It was mostly done with the help of corrupt regimes through alliances, illegal arms sales and drug smuggling.
Since the Vietnam War, the majority of American governments have been equally corrupt and hiding facts from American public. It is time to challenge the West on self-acclaimed high moral grounds to have equal relations.
The policy of destruction of Pakistan merits to be replaced with support. The US Presidents kept asking Pakistan to do more while the American taxpayers’ $2tn was stolen from Afghanistan.
This amount is more than 2021 US $1.7tn Infrastructure Development Program. Biden is not ready to recover it, which is violation of Patriot Act.
Washington should stop abusing FATF, IMF etc to hollow Pakistan’s economy and instead help Islamabad so that it stops looking for alternate options and adopting them permanently. To have healthy relations with Pakistan, America has to review its policies.
Biden should restore true democratic values of America’s founding fathers to win public support in Pakistan.
It should end mega corruption of our ruling elite in both countries by upholding US Bank Secrecy Act to stop $6.7tn money laundering through western banks and other allied corrupt practices to have long-term bilateral relations based on equality, transparency, accountability and good governance.
Biden should enact real police reforms to end colonization of the US and its allies. The police should be demilitarized, cut its powers and withdraw its immunity to make it accountable to rule of law.
History shows that America colonized Latin American countries with police to protect its corporate interests (Banana Republics’).
Modern research is clear that crime can be controlled by cutting 90% of police powers, funding and reinvesting it on education, training and housing of the community. Foreign alliances should not undermine judiciary.
Politicians control judiciary in America. The UK judicial reforms also aim to stifle judiciary to avoid democratic accountability on illegal wars, human rights violations or individual freedoms.
The Constitution of Pakistan was changed to facilitate so-called Afghan war against terrorism which merits to be restored so that judiciary can serve public not rulers and their foreign masters.
The parliamentary form of democracy of Pakistan should not be changed for other countries.
It is the best way to serve public and deliver good governance. The Election Commission can use Alternate Vote to end ballot paper stealing, vote tampering, election rigging and safe seats.
AV will update ballot paper for multiparty system. It will end outdated FPTP system because it can only be used in two party elections.
The use of paper ballot will secure vote online of international recommendations including US SAFE ACT 2019.
Covid has exposed West’s double standards. West failed on people’s vaccine, patent sharing and Covax leaving 100 plus countries without Covid vaccine.
India sold Covid vaccine and oxygen for profit and now Modi government is facing fallout of ‘Make in India’ as public demands accountability for Covid deaths.
In the UK, the seven deadly claims of Dominic Cummings have exposed criminal, unfit and corrupt leadership, accountability for Covid deaths, and dire consequences of privatization of public health.
The West has to respect international law to preserve peace, trade and commerce. The UK naval mission with US fighter planes for South China Sea is unwarranted.
If West will push with such antagonistic policies, it could backfire in the form of occupation of Taiwan like the annexation of Crimea.
Hong Kong is another case in point. West needs to solve Kashmir, Palestine and Myanmar to help humanity.
It is, therefore, time to stand for Pakistan to make it strong with help of its neighbours and the West.
—The writer is senior political analyst based in Islamabad.
