The problem with Pakistan
By Justice Markandey Katju
Soon after Independence in 1947, Pakistan became a very close ally of the USA. That was the time of the Cold War, and the Americans treated Pakistan as a bulwark against communism.
In 1954 Pakistan signed a 'Mutual Defence Assistance Agreement' with USA and was the only Asian country which became a member of both SEATO and CENTO, whose aim was to contain communism and also to safeguard Middle East oil supplies to Western industries.
The strategic geographical location of Pakistan, almost touching the USSR and Communist China, made it of great importance to American plans as a member of the anti-communist alliance. Consequently, the US poured a huge amount of 'aid' and weapons into Pakistan, which practically became a US neo-colony ( as the 'aid' was all with strings attached ).
The Pakistan army generals, who were, and still are, the real rulers of Pakistan inside the country ( all state institutions like the judiciary, bureaucracy, police, election commission, etc are subservient to it ), were beholden to the US, as their sons, daughters, close relatives etc were given high paying jobs in the World Bank, IMF, multi-national corporations, etc or admission with full scholarships in Harvard, Yale, or some other Ivy League University. These generals ( serving or retired ) had millions of dollars in Western banks, and willingly did as the US govt ordered them. Former Prime Minister Bhutto was hanged by Gen Zia ul Haq as allegedly ordered by the Americans ( as he had displeased them by making overtures to the Soviet Union and China, and going ahead with his plan to manufacture an atomic bomb with French assistance )
The problem that has now arisen for Pakistan is this : it was all right as long as it had a single master, the USA. But now a second master has come into the picture viz China. Pakistan has now two masters, and these are at loggerheads
China today is a super power, with a massive industrial base. The Chinese have penetrated deep into the Pakistani economy ( through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, etc ), captured a large part of its markets, and have made huge investments in Pakistan.
All this must of course have been strongly resented by the Americans, as it weakens their own hold on Pakistan, and endangers their grip on Pakistan's economy.
Of course the Pakistan army is still subservient to the US, and probably on the latter's demand the army rigged the recent Pakistan National Assembly elections held on 8th February on a massive scale, to deny a majority to former Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI party, which it would surely have got if the election and its results had been free and fair.
But as explained by me in the video ( anchored by Sajida Amin, a Pakistani who lives in Brisbane, Australia ), the Chinese will not take this lying low, and as a fait accompli
The people of Pakistan, 80-90% of whom solidly support Imran Khan, will not accept this brazen and massive fraud.
Civil war, using guerilla tactics, with Chinese covert help in weapons etc, may well ensue in the days to come in Pakistan
I am reminded of a sher ( couplet ) of the great Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, which to my mind vividly and accurately describes the Pakistan scene :
"Hai maujazan ek kulzum-e-khoon kaash yahi ho
Aata hai abhi dekhiye kya kya mere aage "
i.e.
"Before me is a turbulent sea of blood, but wait and see what is coming".
In other words, worse times are coming.
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. These are his personal views.)
