Zaheer Bhatti
NOTWITHSTANDING the adversarial vibes over the social media, it appears from the myopic mindset of warring factions; particularly those aiming at expansionism and global hegemony, that they in contrast to those trying to build bridges for common development and prosperity among nations are bent upon inviting polarization. The lines appear clearly drawn with the two sets of nations identified, exposing the real intent of those behind the so-called development and monitoring forums like the G20, OPEC, FATF and the various Aid Agencies such as the IMF, World Bank and the Asian Development Bank; all geared to the hegemonic designs of those identified as the Quad; comprising the US, Japan, India and Australia, intriguingly not including Israel which is content to remain at the remotes as Trump blackmails UAE and Bahrain into recognizing it in the name of peace; only to see Israel bomb the Gaza Strip first thing after signing as testimony to the real Zionist goal.
These expansionists are pitched against the core group of China, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia and North Korea each of which are now weary of the imperial intent having been sought to be wooed, manoeuvred and double-crossed by the United States and its Allies, all in fear of the meteoric rise of the People’s Republic of China which they have chosen to try and stall by devious means rather than seek to outsmart them through fair competition; be it sponsoring Hong Kong agitations against Chinese control, questioning Chinese right to the South China Sea or alleged persecution of the Uygur Muslim-majority largest Chinese Province, while seeing nothing wrong with fascist Indian Narendra Modi’s BJP Government discriminating against Muslims, over a year-long caging and systematic extermination of Kashmiri Muslims and revoking their Special Status enjoined under its own Constitution. Except for the saving grace of a US Report expounding that Pakistan was being targeted from inside Afghanistan by militant groups such as the TTP and its splinter Ahrar-ul-Islam, which falls short of pinning responsibility of attacks in Pakistani Balochistan and conveniently sidesteps naming those behind these militant groups which could not be operating without solid financial, tactical and political support. This becoming a small world, it is no longer a secret that the US had foreseen and backed its strategy to contain the spirit of Jehad in Islam which its 9/11 Commission Report had characterized as martyrdom and ultimate glory ingrained in its belief system; a notion which it said could not be defeated militarily.
The strategy sought to make inroads into Muslim polities and their socio-cultural fabric through official and mostly NGO channels in the name of aiding development in health, education and environment, which Pakistan could neither anticipate nor stall. Imperial West planted and nurtured liberalism not just in Pakistan and Afghanistan but generally in the Middle East subverting Islamic socio-cultural norms in the name of fundamental rights and women’s emancipation striking at their very roots, and successfully infiltrating several thousands of security operators such as Black Water and Den Corp etc; daring the Pakistani representative woman to cast off her ‘Chaader’ or dopatta without any remorse; an apparel meant to guard her chastity as ordained by the Book they believe in.
It is established without a doubt that Al-Qaeda, the ISIS or ISL, TTP or its splinter groups, are all funded, armed and deployed by the United States in the Middle East and through its proxy India in Afghanistan initially to destabilize the Muslim world but mainly to contain the fast rising People’s Republic of China which was threatening to overtake the US position as the unipolar leader of the world. Disappointingly for them, India despite arming itself to the teeth, has suffered humiliation in Ladakh at the hands of the Chinese, who are matching the US in an eye for an eye response over political, economic or diplomatic measures conjured by the US in its desperate bid to stop the Chinese advancement.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative has attracted more countries than those seeking to distract and fail, because it is not just an idea any longer but a reality giant development step, over which even the US is having cold feet and trying all tricks in the trade to covertly and overtly sabotage, but failing; including attempting to bargain with Pakistan to abandon the project. Pakistan would have nothing of this any longer having known the US mindset which was opposed to any development advantageous to the Chinese, and which had always in the past left Pakistan in the lurch after realizing its objective. The rise in incidents in Pakistan are no coincidence but a planned US-Indian onslaught to derail CPEC, whereas the project has already generated its positive fall-out aimed at global connectivity for peace and development; in first the Iranians withdrawing Indian role in its Chahbahar Port while developing a trading relationship with Gwadar, and also saying good bye to India over laying its Railways track from Zahidan to Afghanistan, as the Chinese commit a staggering 400 billion-dollar in trade and development to bolster ties with Iran.
In consonance with the age old proverb “You shall reap what you sow,” India which had vowed openly to isolate Pakistan notwithstanding Pakistan’s own political fault lines after severing Pakistan’s Eastern Wing under a conspiracy; momentarily succeeding in luring most SAARC countries against Pakistan, has antagonized them with its own follies; picking up row with Nepal, Sri Lanka, Sikkim and now Bangladesh whose two million Muslim settlers in Assam post-1971 War whom India seeks to deport back, over which Bangladesh not only feels disillusioned with Indian intentions of support in creating the country but now feels threatened with revelation of its true designs. Bangladesh is reportedly joining CPEC after Pakistani Premier Imran Khan’s initiative expressing sympathies over loss of lives in floods and Corona and inviting Hasina Wajid to visit Pakistan; offering to build bridges and giving substance to Two-Nation Theory in process.
—The writer is a media professional, member of Pioneering team of PTV and a veteran ex Director Programmes.
