Dear
Prime Minister, I write to you today under great urgency in back drop of
certain allegations of supporting terrorists that are a result of false
propaganda by anti-Pakistan elements/states that are casting long shadows of
gloom over the nation’s future foreign relations. We cannot ignore the fact
that in the recent past, due to the Government’s debilitated and complacent
attitude, we suffered irreparable damage to our Foreign Policy that has placed
us in diplomatic wilderness.
Today
after laying down more than 60,000 lives and suffering a loss of more than
$123-billion for participating in the War on Terror, which was brought upon us
in the greater interest of USA’s geo-strategic ambitions, we stand isolated due
to our inept and casual handling of the foreign affairs. We are faced with
gloomy prospects of a humiliating retreat in our economy, internal security,
foreign policies and the foreign reserves. We have earned only internal
political polarisation and have surrendered space to various extremist
narratives and barriers. The absence of practical guidelines from the
Parliament has diminished it into an inflated debating club, which is losing
its utility. We should have been treated as victims with all our sacrifices in
the War on Terror but on the contrary we are being named as supporters of terrorists
because of our failure to counter anti-Pakistan propaganda.
It
has now left the nation wondering why Pakistan has been led to become an
international punch bag, and above all, where shall it all lead to? Do we have
a strategy to regain our lost grounds with the international community? Do we
have a strong way forward to expose the continued evil designs of India and war
games designed by Indian PM Modi to expand his designs from Afghanistan to
China?
Our
insensitivity towards the engineered perception, created by Indian media
regarding the BRICS ‘Xiamen Declaration’ of 4 September, 2017, is a wake-up
call. Sadly, we failed to recognise the dimensions and threats concealed in
President Donald Trump’s ‘Afghan Policy’ unveiled on 22 August, 2017, and the
linkage with the Indian tirade against Pakistan fuelled by its zeal in
diplomatically isolating Pakistan. The nation has not yet seen anything
concrete to counter this, except a track II meeting with USA at the lower
midlevel.
Rising
anti-Muslim hysteria being whipped up by India in an effort to find a cosy
berth on the USA led block speaks volumes about our inability to take up the
challenge in line with the aspirations of our public who have voted us into our
respective positions. It is indeed tragic and humiliating that due to selfish
and self-motivated diplomatic behaviour, not a single Islamic country said a
single word in our defence in the face of President Donald Trump’s barrage of
accusations against Pakistan. Do the Muslim countries not know of our
sacrifices in the War on Terror? Or is it some other motive that has led them
to sealing their lips in front of the Trump administration?
Furthermore,
our failure to recognise the ulterior motives and Indian strategies for the
‘Deklan Issue’ and its subsequent resolution, as a forerunner of the BRICS
summit in China, and subsequently failing to secure a position of even an
observer in the BRICS summit, speaks volumes about our silent foreign policy.
The absence of any pre-emptive action from our side only adds insult to injury.
Sadly,
the continued inertness to respond to the recent developments, narrated above,
simply reflects the total incapacitation of our foreign policy. The negligent
performance of Foreign Office, whose senior officials are engaged in internal
squabbling, have only facilitated the transformation of Indian PM Narendra
Modi’s fictional ambitions into ‘Narendra Modi’s War’, as was done in case of
USA Congressman’s “Charlie Wilson’s War”. The absence of any mention of Indian
atrocities in Kashmir from all forums, including BRICS, remains a glaring gap
in our foreign policy efforts.
I
recall, that when we were faced with similar risks in our tenure, President
Asif Ali Zardari had the vison to develop “The Friends of Pakistan” forum that helped
put our narrative across the world effectively.
Dear
Mr. Prime Minister, the nation needs mitigation of these grievances urgently
and wants to break out of this vicious cycle of failures. It will probably not
suffice to concede to India’s baseless accusations, and accept that there are
said groups present in Pakistan. Sir, this is an admission of failure, which
coming from the government can be diplomatically fatal. We need an effective
and sustainable narrative to dispel the negative perception of our motherland.
Our
nation is extremely perturbed on the genocide of the Rohingya Muslims triggered
in Myanmar in synchronisation with India’s allegations and announcement to
deport 60,000 Rohingya Muslims from India. The atrocities have been confirmed
by UN and beg an appropriate national response beyond mere lip service from
Pakistan’s government. Where is that very same UN which seeks extension in the
stay of Afghan refugees?
What
we need at the moment is complete solidarity between the nation and its institutions.
We also need to muster up and trust our collective wisdom to counter the
present crises both at home and abroad. I propose in the larger national
interest to urgently convene an All Parties Conference (APC) without delay to
develop consensus and chalk out our way forward through these troubled waters.
We should be able to modify and invigorate our narrative to set our own house
right and come up with a befitting diplomatic response to change the biased
mind-set of the international community against Pakistan.
We
should also follow the APC with a Joint Parliamentary Session, and discuss the
issues arising from Mr. Donald Trump’s Afghan Policy and Indian ambitions, and
our future road map to meet these challenges. Moreover, we must not hesitate to
identify our failures and weaknesses, and devise alternate means to arrest the
declining situation. I hope that in face of the rising urgency to address these
issues, you would call the APC and seek the calling of Joint Session through
your good offices.
Mr
Prime Minister in these difficult times, you have a huge responsibility of
putting Pakistan’s clearer perspective out into the world. And it is my humble
advice to you to take this initiative. You will not be surprised to find the
entire nation standing behind you in the larger interest of Pakistan.
The Article has been published in “THE
NATION” on September 08, 2017.
Link to the Article: An Open Letter to Prime Minister By Senator A.Rehman Malik
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