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AMID a ray of hope for peace in the risky region of
South Asia, the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell touched
the tarmac of New Delhi Sunday — perceptibly — to have an in-depth
dialogue with focus on instant solution of the longed
issues — of-course with nuke’s n’ Kashmir atop.
At the end of his voyage to India, Powell will be visiting
Pakistan — during this week — for significant talks with Pakistani
leaders on a wide range of subjects including Pak-US
relations, peace and stability in the region, anti-terror war
and nuclear non-proliferation.
The Secretary is coming to Islamabad amidst highly provocative
reports in the Western media about various US demands on
Pakistan in connection with non-proliferation and anti-terror
war in Afghanistan.
Prima Facie — the US officials are also resorting to calculated
and on purpose accusations — against Islamabad, paradoxically on
a regular basis and raising doubts and apprehensions against
Pakistan’s pledges against terrorism. Pakistan — in a way — is
being pressurized to fight terrorism ‘as per Washington’s
wishes and whims’. Lets’ be realistic. This type of the US
approach is neither friendly nor fair. It’s rather
arm-twisting and aloof act, which no venerated sovereign state
would ever abide.
It’s awful that Pakistan’s help to the US to fight terrorism
is being seen by the Bush administration’s stalwarts — with
mistrust — despite being acquainted with the veracity that the
Pakistan had sided with the United States — against the wishes
of its’ masses. As a matter of fact, Pakistan has suffered a
lot as an upshot of its support to the US war on terror in
Afghanistan — yet by now, has got nothing in return.
Eventually, even a layman — with abode in Pakistan — feels as,
hurt and mortified — in the wake of the arduous media crusade,
unleashed vis-à-vis Pakistan. It’s, therefore, hoped that
Powell will try to address Pakistan’s sniffles n’ dilemmas
rather than being more demanding while on its’ soil. Pakistan
has already done enough on account of anti-terror war and
nuclear non-proliferation. Pakistan cannot obviously do any
more on these counts.
Simultaneously, Islamabad should not be expected to sacrifice
its national interests for the sake of specific n’ pointed US
aspires. Going by the index of the history, a significant — in
fact a vital, crucial and critical facet — which surfaces is
that US has never been a trustworthy n’ steadfast friend [of
Pakistan] in the gone-bye epoch and it’s highly implausible
that it shall be so — even in the times ahead.
Washington is already developing strategic partnership with
India [one way or the other] and — on the contrary — it’s
exploiting Pakistan for its own peculiar motifs n’ motives.
Above all, one is forced to lift eye-brows on a pragmatic
question, which can in simple words be posed as — after all
this, what has Pakistan gained out of its support to the US in
its war against terrorism in Afghanistan?
Like the US proxy war against defunct Soviet Union in which
Pakistan was overwhelmed with Kalashnikov and drug culture,
the country is today confronted with the pest-like nuisance of
terrorists from Afghanistan. Attempts on the life of
Pakistan’s President, General Pervez Musharraf and sectarian
violence in Baluchistan represent the glaring fall-out of the
US military intervention in Afghanistan and — overtly for
Pakistan’s support to its anti-terror combat.
As is envisioned in the prologue of this memo, we feel
optimistic that Colin Powell — who has — this time come to this
limb of the orb [South Asia] — very well prepared [than before]
would, in no way, set aside from his mind the actual n’
authentic essence and spirit of his previous trips.
With this acuity, the right-hand man of the Bush
administration is expected of laying emphasis on the
evaporation of the entire factors — still placing perils for
peace in South Asia, with the instant solution of the Kashmir
dispute atop — instead of liquefying his vibrant energies on
topics of less import.
Of-late, one of Powell’s deputies, the charismatic n’
captivating Christina Rocca has — categorically n’ miraculously
rather marvellously — been very ‘kind n’ considerate’ rather
vocal on the process of normalization of Indo-Pakistan
ties — with her exclusive zest for the solution of the Kashmir
issue, the core dispute, in a style which reflects the
truthful aspirations of the people of the Himalayan State
[though India, for the moment doesn’t think so; what a
hilarious, mirthful n’ funny, yet all-sure a deceitful n’
furtive approach of New Delhi?].
No-doubt, as an authority on the South Asian affairs the
elegant Rocca is enormously well-versed with the perilous
impact — if this issue [of Kashmir] — remained afloat n’ up in the
air. Without casing or cataloguing an agenda for Collin
Powell, we hope that his visit to South Asia — explicitly to
Pakistan — shall prove prolific, provided he fixes his
priorities in a fashion — they are ought to be — folioed.
A gaze n’ glance by the Secretary on the episodes of the
recent past would unveil the fact that most of the US
ventures — by n’ large — have been abortive — virtually taking a
shape of turbulent turmoil in place of enormous respects,
regards n’ veneration, which is ought to be the authentic
right of the solitary super-power — the United States. Just have
a look on the realms like Afghanistan n’ Iraq — still
camouflaged with haziness without an obvious forceful flash
for future.
Manifestly, let the power [of Bush or Powell] prevail for
preclusion n’ prevention of the actual axis of evils, the
paucity, poverty, provocations, pretentious, pompous n’ so on
and so forth — for the eventual affluence of humankind with
dignity, honour and equilibrium.
As for terrorism, there can’t be two opinions about the
hideous acts and deeds of all those fanatically caged in such
a reckless mindset. The whole world shall stand hands-in-hands
with the United States to pulverize all such mucky logos,
wherever they dwell — provided Washington goes by parameters of
objectivity with no uncalled for favouritism, bias n’
prejudice — towards any-one, irrespective of ones’ faith,
colour, creed, cast, credo or gender.
Millennium’s global village looks towards the United States to
take care of every-one’s legitimate rights [exclusively
peoples birth right of self-determination] — as a rock-hard
shield. Likewise, it [US] — as the champion of the civilized
world — is ought to ensure that gaucherie for flagrant violation
of human rights — wherever this toxic bacterium n’ bug [despite
the advent of the 21st century, equipped with novel gadgets]
persists — is obliterated n’ extinguished with an all-out
potency n’ that too, at-once. Divergence from realities has,
in fact, no room in the contemporary epoch — except an final
discomfiture, both for the masters and their own nation n’
neophytes.
As is known to all, history is n’ has always been indexed to
learn lessons [of the past], by no means, just to make it a
piece of décor for personal or public archives or annals. So
why not to seek a paradigm [lesson] from such a funnel, or in
other words, via such a guide [not simply, as a book] — yet even
otherwise?
© 2004 Mumtaz Hamid
Rao - Pakistan Times |
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