By T.H Shah
T.H. Shah
Nottingham ( T.H. Shah):Thanks to numerous international political shifts and geopolitical scenario of South Asia, Pakistan’s foreign policy confronted many vicissitudes like military adventures with India, Russian inroad on Afghanistan and Pakistan’s involvement in Capitalist camp, Sino-Indo war in its vicinity, and of the late is its participation in war against terrorism. The pattern of Islamabad’s policy within the context of all these factors is reflection of dissonance with the ground realities. The on-going carnage being inflicted by Drone attacks in tribal areas and also by military operations display injudicious political management. Throughout human history, it’s the first instance to observe that the inland army is pitted against the people of its own land claiming scores of innocent lives including women and children.
Behind the smokescreen of this tumultuous political and economic scene, is the remoteness of national interest with the determination of foreign policy. Instead of safeguarding the national interest, vested interests have kept haunting the overall objective of our relations with the foreign powers on account of which the rulers in any interval of time continued feathering their own nests; and the result is the possession of the piles of wealth by these rulers in foreign banks whether they coming from military or civil top-brass. After Asif Ali Zardari scandal of Surrey Palace, former president Rtd. General Pervez Musharraff is reported to have bought Richmond Palace worth fifteen millions pounds in the County of Surrey in London. Where came from this money is the question can be answered in the light of political and military intrigues during his political regimen. Moreover, most of our political leaders are owner of big estates and business in Dubai as well as in European countries. When having a look on NRO, facts become self-evident, for, in the name of political reconciliation those gone scot-free who looted the wealth of this country making teeming millions hapless and helpless.
Economic stability and prosperity of the people is one of the important determinants of foreign policy. The current scenario is indication of system failure in this regard because country is enmeshed in heavy foreign debts, worst balance of payments, inflation and growing poverty.
The necessaries of life going out of people’s access due to decrease in their purchasing power; industry and agriculture are on the downhill at the hands of energy crisis. Apart from financial support from other international development agencies, it is surprising to say that Pakistan is recipient of heavy foreign aid in the name of war against terrorism which comes in billion and trillion rupees, but where this huge sum of money disappears is unknown. If this aid is spent on development projects, welfare of the people, then why poverty is rampant? Reason is the formulation of policy according to the needs of privileged social groups in society. These social groups can be categorized into military and political cliques. Whether it is inflation or energy crisis, disappearance of basic necessaries of life such as sugar, flour and oil etc. these cliques remain unaffected in their cocoons.
Since very inception of Pakistan, military and political cliques have framed social and political system on such pattern which suits their own needs under any circumstances. Military establishment has its own education, health, finance and residential system where civilian are treated with worst discrimination. Children of the poor can not conceive of getting education or medical treatment due to heavy expenditures. From civilians only the affluent rush there for qualitative treatment and services both in health and education. Same is case with political ruling elites who got such a luxurious life style which is inconceivable by political leaders of developed countries. These sections of society have willingly developed such a social system for the common people of the country in which the children of the poor born to serve the affluent. Education and health system provided for the destitute is absolutely outmode and unable to prepare them for dealing with the requirements of modern age. In far-flung areas of Sindh and in the constituency of President Asif Ali Zardari himself, the generations of poor people are destined to live miserable life; these people are deprived of the facilities of health, education and water; and political cliques of these territories have nothing to do with their life except their vote. These people don’t know the value of their vote and unknowingly cast it to continue the state of constant slavedom. This situation is common almost in all rural areas where strong feudal hold prevails.
The body politics of Pakistan revolves round handful of political and military groups whose sole object is to fill their lockers in overseas banks with unfairly earned wealth by exploitation of the poor. Newly nominated finance minister Mr. Hafeez Pasha said that to persuade the overseas Pakistanis to invest in their country is one of his top priorities; but the question arise the billionaires rulers would like to deposit their own wealth in the banks of this poor country? When these rulers divulge their assets before the Election Commission after spending millions of rupees for winning elections, then one cannot help laughing at the poverty of these affluent. For the reinstatement of Chief Justice, the lawyers made many people killed in country-wide strikes, but on an unavailability of sugar, flour, gas and electricity no one bother to come forward to raise voice against this injustice. On the threshold of justice and corridors of power, instead of protecting the rights of people, war of musical chairs seems full in swing. Same rulers who could be seen lamenting over autocratic rule of President Musharraff, state terrorism, poverty, and Drone attacks on tribal areas have become silent spectators now. The nature of parliamentary proceedings sound focussed on the problems of privileged political groups because NRO, seventeen and eight amendment etc. has nothing to do with the problems of the common people.
The land of Pakistan is rich in all resources, and by generating electricity from fierce blowing winds in sandy planes of Sindh, scorching heat of sun and underneath coal in Thur, each and every corner of the country can be made lit. But by doing so can be brought about revolution in the lives of the poor who if come out of the morass of problems will not spare the rulers. In United Kingdom, there is not hydro power station and natural gas, in spite of this there is no single house even in rural areas not deprived of gas and electricity. Its main cause is equitable education system and friendly-oriented socio-economic and political policies for which are pining for the downtrodden peoples of Pakistan.
(The Writer is associated with Press For Peace(PFP) as Director Research. He could be accessed
at: shah@pressforpeace.org.uk )
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