The Pakistani leadership has been reacting quite negatively to US President Donald Trump’s rebuke of the Pakistani stance on Afghanistan. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif even delayed his meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, manifesting his disapproval of Trump’s comments by visiting regional capitals before proceeding to America and further made clear his position in comments prior to his upcoming US visit. According to the Nation:
Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said Thursday that Pakistan will not beg for the American aid.
“We do not need American aid but Pakistan’s sacrifices against terrorism being recognized,” the foreign minister said and referred to the losses of Pakistani military officers during fight against armed groups and financial losses the country has suffered.
“Pakistan have fought anti-terror war with own resources,” he said in an interview with a news channel.
He was talking about US President Donald Trump’s remarks that the US has given billions of dollars but it has not fought against the groups, which are fighting in Afghanistan.
Asif said he will ask the United States and the world community during his upcoming visit to New York to do more against terrorism as his country has done more than anyone.
The minister offered the remarks when his attention was drawn towards statements by US president and other American leaders who routinely ask Pakistan to take more steps against terrorism.
“We have conveyed to the United States to change its approach towards Pakistan and the region,” the foreign minister said.
Comment:
The reaction of Pakistan’s leadership, and indeed the entire Pakistani political medium, stands in stark contrast to the mood immediately after the events of September 11, 2001 when the then military ruler General Pervez Musharraf simply collapsed in front of American demands for cooperation over Afghanistan. ‘Commando’ Musharraf disappeared from television screens for days, and when he finally appeared in screen shots with senior politicians, he still appeared visibly shaken by what was happening.
Indeed it was Musharraf’s government that made possible the American invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, which is completely landlocked and almost entirely surrounded by Muslim countries. Even now, America is totally dependent on land and air access to Afghanistan through Pakistani territory and airspace. But, even with all this support, and despite at one point having 150,000 foreign troops on the ground, America has been unable to maintain control of Afghanistan, and is now reduced to holding a few key cities along with interconnecting highways, while the Mujahideen hold the rest of the country. So Trump has returned to play the same card – threaten Pakistan into even further cooperation over Afghanistan.
What explains Pakistan’s outspokenness towards America at this time? Firstly, the country is now governed by political rather than military leadership. Generals are trained in obeying orders, or in fighting, without exposure to political manoeuvring. Musharraf made a simple choice, either fight America or obey America. He could not see any other way. Secondly, Muslim public opinion has become so enraged by America’s brutal wars against Muslims that it is not possible for their representatives to now openly accept America’s bidding. Furthermore, Trump’s crude and insensitive bluster causes even his closest allies to openly challenge him. Thirdly, the position of China (including Russia) has strengthened in the intervening years and it is clear that Pakistan is receiving support and encouragement in its present stance.
Sadly, however, despite all the fiery rhetoric, Pakistan continues to be America’s most loyal and obedient servant in this region. Even Khawaja Asif, in his statements above, has refrained from uttering a single word against the illegal American occupation of Afghanistan, and in fact has effectively asked that Pakistan receive due credit for its full participation in supporting America’s war.
America would find it impossible to remain even a day further in Afghanistan without Pakistan’s ongoing support, not only in vital logistics access but also in other critical areas such as intelligence, military cooperation and political management. So why does Pakistan’s leadership continue to play this role, despite their obvious resentment of American demands? Again there are multiple reasons. Firstly, yes, Pakistan presently is ruled by political leadership, but this leadership is not ideological. Such politicians are not able to commit to sound intellectual principles and instead only seek interests, sometimes national, sometimes institutional or partisan, and sometimes just personal. Inevitably, foreign powers are adept at manipulating such interests to achieve whatever it is they wish. Secondly, while Muslim public opinion is most certainly enraged over America, politicians are able to pay lip service to this rage while continuing tacit collaboration with the disbelieving foreigner. And thirdly, although China, and Russia, have been supportive of Pakistan at this time, they have their own interests and are ready to sacrifice Pakistan up to America at any time in return for minor benefits from the world’s sole superpower.
Despite the strength of the Afghan Mujahideen, America knows that her position there is firm as long as she has Pakistan’s support. The solution to Afghanistan lies in Pakistan. And change in Pakistan will never be brought by the present political leadership, whether by those in ruling or by those in opposition within the existing system. The Muslim Ummah requires sincere, indigenous, ideological leadership committed to serving Allah and His Deen and not the disbelieving foreigner.
By Allah’s permission, the time is close that we shall witness the return of the righteous Islamic Khilafah (Caliphate) on the method of the Prophet ﷺ that will liberate and unify Muslim lands, implement the Deen and carry the call for Islam to the entire world.
وَلَن يّجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلاً
“And Allah swt does not permit believers to give the kafireen a way over them”
(Surah Aali Imran 4:141)
Faiq Najjah – Pakistan