Despite the threats and terrorist attacks, Pakistan went ahead with parliamentary elections. This is a great victory for the country. The winners of these elections, like the PPP before them, will have to deal with an extremely volatile situation in terms of foreign affairs. The American ‘war on terror’ will come to an end in Afghanistan, at least for most of the American troops, but this will not translate into the end of security-related issues for Pakistan.
The way the US and its allies forgot about Iraq can only confirm the worst fears about how things could evolve in Kabul, and how careless the White House could be about the region, as the Obama administration will be mostly preoccupied with other issues (Syria, the Arab spring, etc.). Under such circumstances, what should be Pakistan’s priorities for 2013-2014?
It is obvious to say that the Afghan issue will continue to be of particular importance. Islamabad cannot just forget Kabul: the Fata areas, the terrorist threat against the state and its people – these will not disappear as long as Afghanistan is not stable. And that will take time. The Afghans want peace as much as the Pakistanis, but more than three decades of war, plus the poisonous blame game could make things difficult. Of course, continuing with the policy towards Afghanistan in this last year is a good idea: making the Afghans (and the Americans) understand that Islamabad is part of the solution, not the problem, and is definitely not a scapegoat.
But working on bilateral relations alone will not be sufficient. The previous PPP-led government had, over time, developed better relations with Iran. This is a policy that should be followed, even enhanced. If Iran and Pakistan work together, a lot can be achieved in Afghanistan that will protect its national interests. Like the Pakistanis, the Iranians also faced massive migrations, security issues, drug trafficking etc from a weak Afghanistan. Like Pakistan, Iran truly needs a peaceful border with Afghanistan since it has other threats from other places to deal with. Some foreign forces would like to see Iran and Pakistan oppose each other on sectarian grounds. But that would make no sense.
Indeed, there is most probably still some distrust between the two countries, since their relationship has been difficult since the fall of the Shah. But policymakers have begun to understand that geopolitical realities are ‘forcing’ Pakistan and Iran to become friends. If the new leaders follow this path towards an ‘entente cordiale’, it will greatly help secure Pakistani interests in Afghanistan.
A stronger relationship with Iran, based on a desire to manage peace in Afghanistan, could help develop better diplomatic links between Pakistan and Central Asia and Russia. Iran, Russia and Central Asian states like Uzbekistan have unanimously supported the Northern Alliance against the Taliban. They have also often criticised Pakistan for its perceived role in strengthening the Taliban in the second half of the 1990s.
If Russian and Central Asian diplomats see Iranians and Pakistanis working together towards one goal – peace in Afghanistan – they will understand that history will not repeat itself and that Islamabad can be trusted. Indeed, relations between Islamabad and this part of the post-Soviet space have evolved for the better. In particular, bilateral ties with Russia are getting better, and are at last less influenced by Cold War politics. But it would be a mistake to think that Moscow completely understands Pakistan, or is ready to forget its decades-long friendship with India all of a sudden. Some work still needs to be done for the Kremlin to see Islamabad as a partner.
The Afghan issue could be key to creating a true friendship with these Eurasian states. Pakistan can help stabilise a state threatening Central Asian security, which is important for Russian interests. Hence if it plays its cards right, it could become the backbone of a regional informal pact able to obtain what western players have been unable to – a peaceful Afghanistan.
Would such a policy mean tensions with the US? Maybe at first – since the great power is obsessed with anti-Iran rhetoric. But Pakistan needs to focus on its own interests first, and these interests are regional stability and dealing with the Afghan issue. Since the beginning of the ‘war on terror’, Islamabad has been more than helpful. It did not stop American criticism, and the desire of some in the west to make of Pakistan a useful scapegoat.
If Pakistan keeps its interests first, it will not make the US an enemy all of a sudden. It will make American policymakers think – and understand – that it is a mistake to take Pakistan for granted. Ironically, Islamabad maybe needs to be independent towards American interests now to get true support from the US. As for the Europeans, they would not see such an independent policy negatively if it meant that Pakistan could be used as a bridge to talk to Iran, and as a force for stabilisation in Afghanistan. Following its interests in the region, Pakistan could end up making more friends than it thinks.
The writer is research fellow at theInstitute for South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore.
Email: isasdc@nus.edu.sg

http://e.thenews.com.pk/5-16-2013/page6.asp#

A knowledgeable article.......

__________________
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.... (Benjamin Franklin)

well fabricated and factually stated article

__________________
jisnay apni nafs ko pehchana usnay apnay rab ko pehchana