Pakistan’s Geopolitical Dilema China Or US: Viewpoint From Pakistan – Analysis

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The dynamic nature of geo-political environment is transitioning from American efforts to retain its uni-polarity to a stage where the emerging competitors and challengers are moving to a position of asserting their influence. This is likely to result in geo-economic, geo-political and geo-strategic changes, realignments and re-assertions, in certain regions which are likely to play important, if not pivotal roles in the future. These are high-stake political games which may well result in either prolonging geo-political status-quo or the commencement of changes towards a multi-polar balance of power.

To maintain the geo-political status-quo, major US concerns are likely to remain focused on Asia. These include an emerging China, sustaining support for a countervailing India, a resurgent Russia and a concerned Muslim world attempting to redefine its place in the world polity. While US led efforts aimed at containment of Russia are stabilizing almost along the original Russian borders in Europe, endeavours to curtail her expansion towards the south and limit Russian and Chinese influence in Eurasian hinterland are underway.

In February 2002, Colin Powell told the House International Relations Committee that, “America will have a continuing interest and presence in Central Asia of a kind that we could not have dreamed of before.” Chairman of NATO Military Committee while on a recent visit to Australia stated that, securing the safety of Washington and Brussels requires the expansion of a US dominated military alliance into “the Euro-Asian and Asian-Pacific regions.” Major US and NATO presence in Afghanistan and their efforts to enhance military presence in various Central Asian countries under the garb of providing support for Afghan war are clear indications in this direction.

In the post 9/11 environment Asia therefore became the test-bed of American attempts to assert and realign the politico-economic order to maintain her full-spectrum domination and deny or delay the emergence and assurgence of competing powers. US invasion of Iraq was essentially a venture to sustain these objectives and not against terrorism which had roots in Afghanistan. It was thought that the US adventure in Iraq would achieve its objectives soon and would allow shifting the focus to stabilize Afghanistan for a protracted US presence because of geo-political compulsions. While the US was busy in Iraq, they co-opted Indian support to replace Pakistan as a stabilizing influence in Afghanistan, mainly due to Pak-US trust deficit. This also provided Americans an opportunity to project Indian influence in Central Asia to dilute the existing Russian and increasing Chinese support base.

Having failed in her earlier attempts to coerce Pakistan through application of direct strategy, India readily took this opportunity to pay back Pakistan for its alleged interference in Indian Occupied Kashmir and ventured in to a strategic encirclement of Pakistan. Under a calibrated strategy, US also supported India by attempting to persuade Pakistan to allow passageway for sustaining the Indian influence in Afghanistan and beyond. While addressing a press conference in January this year in Islamabad, Hillary Clinton openly supported this venture to the discomfiture of her hosts. However, Pakistan did not acquiesce and avoided a self-inflicted strategic encirclement.

Moreover, in order to dilute and contain resurgent Taliban, US contrived with Indian and Afghan support to shift the terrorist center of gravity to Pakistani territory resulting in manifold increase in drone attacks in Pak regions bordering Afghanistan. However, the US desire to confine this war to Af-pak region was short-lived. Soon the Taliban outside of so-called Af-pak region re-emerged stronger, warranting a US surge followed by a crisis of command and strategy.

Also, the Americans soon realized Indian inability to replace Pakistan’s strategic influence in its backyard. This also solidified the fact that the geo-politically influenced strategic pivot provided by Pakistan could not and would not be replaced by India, no matter how powerful India may be. Pakistan had withstood the challenge, no matter how weak it had been or would be. Achievement of US geo-political and geo-strategic goals therefore would become extremely difficult without co-opting Pakistan. This fact can not be overstated by citing a statement of Senator McCain (courtesy wikileaks), who while talking to David Cameron in a 2008 meeting said that, “if they (Pakistan) don’t cooperate and help us, I don’t know what we are going to do.”

Many believe that India is a regional power, yet they fail to realize the fact that its regional prowess can only be exercised against nations as small and vulnerable as Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bangladesh. It has not been able to convincingly project its power potential against present day Pakistan and China and it is unlikely to happen in the future as well. US Embassy, New Delhi (courtesy wikileaks) corroborates this fact indicating that, with present Indian military capabilities, Cold Start doctrine would encounter mixed results.

US, France, UK, China and Russia etc can project their power potential because either they do not have a powerful regional threat to counter or they have enough capability to deter a regional threat and also project their capability to take care of extra-regional threats.

India cannot laterally expand its influence beyond its western borders due the existence of geo-political impediments in addition to the geographical restrictions placed by the presence of Pakistan. Expansion of its influence towards the east is impeded due to the large geographical lay of China. Myanmar can provide India with limited ability to expand towards South East Asia. She attempted to undertake such a venture but due to its internal upheaval in adjoining areas failed to take timely advantage. Chinese influence in Myanmar has in the meantime increased manifold which may limit future Indian endeavours. Therefore the only direction it may be able to expand its influence is towards the vast expanse of sea in the south.

As per the perceived US game-plan for India, garnering of a seaward influence is likely to be supported by the US and West. This fact is corroborated by increased number of Indian naval exercises with navies of US and other western nations in recent years. The plan seeks India to act as a countervailing force against China, as a milkman to sustain US economy while competing with Chinese economic progress and to stabilize regional disputes with limited force projection capability.

India may become a strong economic power and be able to generate fair bit of economic influence in all those countries which are its trading partners and may also be able to exercise fair bit of negativity against Pakistan and China in this domain. However, it’s overall power projection and generation of influence in the key regions would still remain limited unless it drastically improves relations with both Pakistan and China. It also highlights the importance of strategic nature of Pak-China relationship.
US follows a two pronged strategy against China, what some analysts term as “Contaigement” (Containment and Engagement). China counters this through application of a multi-faceted direct and indirect strategy. The engagement aspect does not irk both US and China to the extent of it being positive. Some of the major facets employed by China to counter the containment are; enhancement of politico-economic and military cooperation in key world regions, development of its military capability and seeking multiple trade corridors. Pakistan can offer major cooperation in many of these facets and thus emerges as a crucial player in facilitating for China a safe alternative outlet in to the global strategic zones.

China developed eastern Chinese region as a deliberate and well thought out policy. Now that this region has been well on its way to becoming a developed reality, western Chinese region bordering Pakistan is also being developed. The population of western China is close to 300 million people. The closest trade access to the sea for this large set of entrepreneurs is through Pakistan’s Karachi and Gwadar ports linked via Karakoram highway.

Pakistan’s sympathetic leanings towards China is one of the major causes of present trust-deficit between US and Pakistan, since the US in its endeavours to contain China is also eyeing Pakistan’s southern sea ports to acquire its own strategic corridor with links to Central Asian resources and to safeguard its interests. If this assumption is correct then it is quite likely that the US will continue to act as Pakistan’s neighbour for quite some time through its presence in Afghanistan and other regional countries and its projected withdrawal from Afghanistan is likely to remain restricted to end of combat operations.

In the 1960s, US attempted to follow the strategy of Pivotal Statecraft with regard to India and Pakistan. The strategy entailed that as US had influence and leverages in both India and Pakistan, it could manipulate or coerce both countries to find solutions to bilateral problems, under US auspices. However, the attempt failed as India had an alternative in the form of Russia and Pakistan looked for Chinese support. Apparently, US is attempting to follow a similar strategic posture again. Interestingly, in the ensuing geo-political environment India has no other entity to align with except the USA, whereas Pakistan can still lean towards China and frustrate US desires.

Pakistan therefore sits at the cross-roads of strategic interests of major world powers – an unenviable predicament or an enviable opportunity! Pakistan’s security and prosperity in the future therefore depends in a large way on how it exploits this geo-political tangle vis-à-vis these major contenders. It is here that Pakistan’s ability to generate a cooperative response from the great powers would be tested. Pakistan may not and should not become a party to any of the big powers and use its influence to generate a cooperative and all-supportive environment for future stability of the region. Pakistan’s decision makers must appreciate the strength Pakistan has placed itself in, despite the impediments and must not loose this strategic advantage. The success of Pakistani grand strategy depends upon its ability to manipulate co-relation of contending powers to its own advantage.

Khan A. Sufyan

Khan A. Sufyan is a security analyst on South Asia and has advised government, semi-government and private organizations and institutions on national and international security issues, as well as participating in number of national and international seminars and presented papers on various regional and global security issues.

31 thoughts on “Pakistan’s Geopolitical Dilema China Or US: Viewpoint From Pakistan – Analysis

  • March 23, 2011 at 6:56 am
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    Definitely one of the best articles I have recently read about Pakistan’s geopolitical and geostrategic importance for the US, China and the West. Equally important is the explanation of diminishing importance of India vis-a-vis Pakistan and the US think tanks are now increasingly talking about it as well.
    An excellent article which should be read to understand the emerging environment in this part of the world. Qudos to Mr. Khan for simplifying the quagmaire for better understanding.

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  • March 23, 2011 at 10:13 pm
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    Wow, brilliant post. Extension of the US war into Pakistan has never been about chasing terrorists – it’s about gaining strategic control of energy resources.

    The Pentagon/CIA make no secret of their desire to see energy and mineral rich Balochistan secede from Pakistan to become a US client state – just like energy and mineral rich Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and the other former Soviet republics. Moreover there’s no that CIA-sponsored BLA terrorism is responsible for much of the violence in the border region – especially around the Chinese-built port in Gwadar, Pakistan (employed to offload Iranian oil destined for China). Given that Iran and China are major political/economic rivals, it’s a pity the US corporate media fails to report on any of this.

    I blog about this at “Our CIA freedom fighters in Pakistan”
    http://stuartbramhall.aegauthorblogs.com/2011/03/07/our-cia-freedom-fighters-in-pakistan/

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  • March 25, 2011 at 8:40 am
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    Thought provoking article(by Mr Khan, discussing growing geo-political, geo-strategic & geo-economic concerns in the overall context through South Asia, alongwith the strategic posturing by leading contenders. No doubt the region comprising CARs, Afghanistan, Pakistan & some parts of Iran alongwith its people have always played a significant role with reference to world polity and each time this role has been played in a muted manner; the current time period is no different. Region is in news from last more than three decades in which many posturings have been tested by super powers, but with unstable results each time. Hence stability for asserting more is still a pipedream. In order to acheive stability it is important to convince those who are far away and yet relevant; how about studying/evaluating current military operations in Libya as finding international justification for pursuing geo-strategic objectives!!!!

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  • March 25, 2011 at 9:22 am
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    Excellent write up by the author. It has been written with such fluency that everything falls in place and one understands the nitty-gritty of complex geopolitical environment. His views on India pseudo-powerful capabilities is certainly eye opening and more closer to the truth – which is that despite her excessive spending on defense enterprise, it still can not project itself as a powerful entity in the region. A very good article indeed.

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  • March 25, 2011 at 1:21 pm
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    What a good article this is. When Dr Stuart Jeanne Bramhall also says it is brilliant – it sure is and is an icing on the cake. The big and shining India has been shown its real place and instead of grwoing out of its boots needs to come down to earth and understand the ground realities. The Americans have understood the realities and are aptly responding as per the dictates of real-politik. Good one.

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  • March 28, 2011 at 8:15 am
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    A good article which explains the real-politik prevalent in South Asian environment. However, all will depend on internal stability of Pakistan. If it can internally stabilize itself, it may be in a position to exploit its pivotal geopolitical location.

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  • March 28, 2011 at 1:50 pm
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    Though written in lucid prose,the article presumes the importance of Pakistan than warranted by its polity.
    True, a Nation need not be huge and economic power house as India is.
    But at least the Nation should be stable and be economically self-reliant;it should have some political system in place;the responsibilities of the various organs must be clear.
    Only then Alliance with a country like Pakistan which is more or less a failed State, where none knows,including their President knows what happens in the Country(remember the instance of Indian planes incursions into Pakistan last year), will be be beneficial to the Allies.
    The Alliance with Pakistan, apart from the reasons mentioned in the article is also motivated by the anxiety ,rather urgency of the World(not merely US) to stop the export of terrorism.
    Having found Pakistan to be a unstable State,the US is slowly giving up on Pakistan, though it discomforting for the US to deal with India, as India wants to deal with US on its terms and not as a supplicant like Pakistan
    China regards Pakistan to check mate US in the region.
    Having noticed that US is developing India relationship,China is looking elsewhere to encircle India as Pakistan can only be a liability to it in the long run;China wants Pakistan remains unstable.
    Funniest point is that Pakistan has a grievance that it has not been involved in Afghan Rebuilding.while the World knows the part played by Pakistan in Afghan confusion.

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    • March 29, 2011 at 7:12 am
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      Mr Ramanan,
      After reading the article, I find it pretty convincing. Your comments are primarily based on Pakistan’s internal mess whereas the article explains the geopolitical environment. In my opinion, geopolitically Pakistan at this stage stands much stronger than India. That is the reason West and the US are supporting it. I think you need to carryout a dispassionate analysis to understand that Pakistan is not a failed state as many of us presume – rather wishfully. Dont just comment being an Indian and therefore being anti-Pakistan.

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  • March 29, 2011 at 6:57 pm
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    It is a good review of American project for South-central Asia and it has been works since early ninties after the demise of Soviet Union. It was the time for “New world order”, “New American century” and “Full spectrum dominance”. There were other grand concepts as to how world should be shaped under American leadership and guidance. There was the European Union and recasting NATO as global security organization. The alliance for democracy and color revolutions had their day in the sun. Then there was 911 and the application of shock and awe. Here we are twenty years later, properly awed; perhaps ready to take stock world we live in.
    We live in a world where international law is in shambles, the concept of state as agreed in treaty of Westphalia is no more, United Nations is laughing stock of the world, human rights have more acceptance so is the case with torture. Technology and communication are the bright spots helping the masses. Coming back to American project, it is quite simple in fact. It is to have corporate state structure like it was built in Japan and very successfully. It is being done in China, as we speak. If it is repeated in other countries, they can also share the prosperity with their people. This is what American leadership provides and also assures full spectrum dominance. What is your problem? Japanese mushroom clouds, any one!
    Countries are states no more, they are markets and resources. If you have good products, consumers will break you door to get it. The resources are labor and commodities. It is natural commodities that are in greater demand. Just look at wages against prices of natural commodities. So, nobody wants to take over highly populated countries, just only those with natural resources.
    In South Asia, India has been blocked by Pakistan and then America has blocked Pakistan from free access to energy resources, and that flow is allowed to West only. Both countries need significant amount of energy for their economic growth. There was the solution of Nuclear energy but after Fukushima it is doubtful proposition for densely populated countries.
    Despite all the issues between India and Pakistan, here is an issue where they should tell NATO to unblock the flows of energy to the area. Does India have the guts? This is my proposal to both sides and even half brains could understand.

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  • March 30, 2011 at 6:47 am
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    Mr Parvez,
    Your comments vey aptly compliment the excellent article written by Mr. Khan. Even if India have guts it needs to improve its relations with both Pakistan and China to gain from display of guts. Pakistan is better placed to display its guts but for its internal imbroglio. For China to isplay its guts it needs to look for an alternative to the almost trillion dollar trade with America. For Americans to display guts means admission and complimentory activity to forestall and still take advantage of her diminishing full spectrum dominance capability.
    Very complex environment – aret they!

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  • March 30, 2011 at 11:26 am
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    “…..While the US was busy in Iraq, they co-opted Indian support to replace Pakistan as a stabilizing influence in Afghanistan, mainly due to Pak-US trust deficit……”
    This trust-deficit is a euphism for the fact that US will not countenance the change in balance of power achieved by Pakistan vis-a-vis Afghanistan through the use of Taliban. It is worthwhile to recall that US and practically all other countries in the world ( except three countries ) did not recognize the Taliban regime even before the occurrence of the Twin Tower destruction. The Taliban regime had reduced Afghanistan to a client state of Pakistan when US was engaged in Iraq and had no time to devote to Afghanistan.
    Just as US has all along prevented India from changing the balance of power with respect to Pakistan, similarly US will not allow Pakistan to change the balance of power with respect to Afghanistan.

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  • March 30, 2011 at 1:03 pm
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    Mr T,
    It is not that US will not allow Pakistan to change the balance of power in Afghanistan – Pakistan is the balance. You see, it is not only Afghanistan, it is Iran as well which Americans take it as a destabilizing factor in the region. Also, the Central Asian Region, easy access to which is only through Pakistan. And, like Mr. Khan indicates in his article that Pakistan is also the geopolitical pivot which provides access to the Chinese into the strategic zones. Alas, India can not do all this – least of all without Pakistan’s support – if at all.

    Reply
  • March 31, 2011 at 7:16 am
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    Excellent post. The reality of emerging India, American objectives, Chinese response and Pakistan’s unenviable predicament or an enviable opportunity in the ensuing world power politics, eloquently explained.
    Superb piece indeed.

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  • April 1, 2011 at 11:01 am
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    A good article and is useful for future reference. Is it still uptdate?
    The lines are being drawn in the libyan’s desert for the next world war!The exhausted super power of the world under its kenyan american President has suffered setbacks in Afghanistan and though physicaly and financialy fully broke is again on the march together with its rag tag ex colonialists European Govts., and is taking steps to ensure proprietry rights of the black tar of the arabian desert. China is being targeted for energy denial.

    The industrial jiant Japan is melting away, the USA is bankrupt with trillion of dollars loans and is making the last effort to revive its weapon industry by firing off hundreds of T missiles, hoping to recover the costs direct from the libyan oil money deposits in the States.
    We are living in the period of the fall of the great Super power and simultaneously witnessing the emergence of Asian Power China which is receiving one hundred percent support from the technical innovation power house of Europe, namelyGermany. A historical moment but full of turbulances. The USA is taking precautions not to make any further foot prints in the muslim world, but the CIA boots are already in the Libyan desert. CIA people apparentlydo no longer wear boots which leave foot prints? Robert Gates is probably happy, he is a broken secretary of Defence.

    Reply
  • April 3, 2011 at 11:13 am
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    It is a good review of American project for South-central Asia and it has been works since early ninties after the demise of Soviet Union. It was the time for “New world order”, “New American century” and “Full spectrum dominance”. There were other grand concepts as to how world should be shaped under American leadership and guidance. There was the European Union and recasting NATO as global security organization. The alliance for democracy and color revolutions had their day in the sun. Then there was 911 and the application of shock and awe. Here we are twenty years later, properly awed; perhaps ready to take stock world we live in.
    We live in a world where international law is in shambles, the concept of state as agreed in treaty of Westphalia is no more, United Nations is laughing stock of the world, human rights have more acceptance so is the case with torture. Technology and communication are the bright spots helping the masses. Coming back to American project, it is quite simple in fact. It is to have corporate state structure like it was built in Japan and very successfully. It is being done in China, as we speak. If it is repeated in other countries, they can also share the prosperity with their people. This is what American leadership provides and also assures full spectrum dominance. What is your problem? Japanese mushroom clouds, any one!
    Countries are states no more, they are markets and resources. If you have good products, consumers will break you door to get it. The resources are labor and commodities. It is natural commodities that are in greater demand. Just look at wages against prices of natural commodities. So, nobody wants to take over highly populated countries, just only those with natural resources.
    In South Asia, India has been blocked by Pakistan and then America has blocked Pakistan from free access to energy resources, and that flow is allowed to West only. Both countries need significant amount of energy for their economic growth. There was the solution of Nuclear energy but after Fukushima it is doubtful proposition for densely populated countries.
    Despite all the issues between India and Pakistan, here is an issue where they should tell NATO to unblock the flows of energy to the area. Does India has the guts. This is my proposal to both sides and even half brains could understand.

    Reply
  • April 3, 2011 at 5:08 pm
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    basically an anti Indian article and nothing more.

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  • April 6, 2011 at 6:08 am
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    It is not anti Indian article. It is a very good article which explains the ground reality. Good post.

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  • April 7, 2011 at 3:00 pm
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    Wow what an interesting and good piece. One of the best such stuff I’ve seen since a long time.

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  • April 11, 2011 at 7:03 am
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    Marvelous indeed. Haven’t read anything better in recent times. The author has an in-depth understanding of geopolitical environment and has explained these flawlessly. A must read for those interested and even if not interested in analyzing such happenings.

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  • April 11, 2011 at 4:21 pm
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    Very good article indeed. Worth reading.

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  • April 12, 2011 at 12:52 pm
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    An interesting article. It entails the dilemma and predicament that Pakistan finds itself into. As a baancing act it is almost the fulcrum on which all activity is being based. It makes sense now as to why inspite of having such an inept Government no one is making any attempt to upset the apple cart. There are other cogent financial reasons as well, but no one actually has the guts in the pakistani polity to take this rampaging bull by the horn and try and rectify the situation in the right direction.
    In many ways it matters very little as to what others are trying to do to pakistan. It must be all about what we want to do for our beloved country. There are 2 facets along which we need to progress as quickly as is humanly possible.
    Firstly try and at least achieve economic parity and independence. The rampant corruption in the society needs to be tackled strongly and with justice. Income tax should be imposed more justly including on the land owners. I guess all you need is a couple of high profile cases of bigwigs deprived of their property and earnings and hung drawn and quartered to make people notice and sit up. Promotions on merit and reward for good work and dismissal for shoddy practices should become the norm.
    There are 2 regions which are the basis of much chaos in Pakistan. Pakhtoonkhuwa, and Baluchistan. The solutions to both have to be similar in some cases but radically diverse in others. We have no other option but to arm twist US into helping us mine and close the border, even if it requires a lot of manpower. That will reduce the accusations once and for all, and then we can ask US to stop the drone attacks. The PA has to entewr thew tribal areas after an accord and initiate projects of public benefit and adult literacy campaign( like it has initiated in Swat). Preferential rates for industrial setup in these regions should be offered and road setup in the region improved on warfooting. The employment generated as a consequence of these ventures will result in one of the major sources of disgruntlement being curtialed. Local courts system to provide people with cheap and efficient justice needs to be set up.
    I am unsure as to whether the same will help in Baluchistan or not. the major hinderance there appear to be the sardars who have command over the local populace. They will cause massive hinderance to any such endeavours in the province. It is the reason for the failure of projects like Gwadar to achieve their maximum potentials. We have tried force in the past and failed. Is it time to mediate and negotiate settlements which can then be imposed? I think this approach might be a better one.
    We have seen in the Musharraf era the change in the attitude of people and the gneral demeaner of the countruy and its economic progress just with implementation of a system of justice and fairplay. We can do it again .

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  • April 13, 2011 at 1:12 pm
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    Pankaj Mishra in Apr 6 article in The Hindu titled “The deception at the heart of ‘Rising India” says that ……
    The (wikileaks) cables offer many such instances of the ideological deceptions practised by the purveyors of “Rising India”. Virtually all economic growth of recent years, a senior politician admits, is concentrated in the four southern states, two western states (Gujarat and Maharashtra) and “within 100km of Delhi”…………………. Visiting the White House in 2008, Mr. Singh induced a nationwide cringe when he blurted out to the most disliked American President ever: “The people of India deeply love you.” (Even George Bush looked startled.) This love unblushingly speaks its name in the cables; even the Pakistanis appear dignified when compared with the Indians stampeding to plant kisses on U.S. behinds. Mr. Singh has presided over an ignominious surrender of national sovereignty and dignity.
    In a testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said, “Our two militaries (US and Indian) enjoy a robust series of exchanges, visits, and exercises that create critical linkages between personnel and further deepen habits of cooperation. From counter-piracy to disaster relief, our two militaries have much to gain from each other….”.
    Ha ha ha …. From counter-piracy to disaster relief …. this where the cooperation begins and this where the cooperation ends even after Indians plant majore kisses in American behinds. Ha ha ha
    The author Mr. Khan A. Sufyan has very aptly highlighted the almost nothingness of India in the emerging geopolitical environment. And that is where the rising India stands or limps?

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  • April 14, 2011 at 6:58 am
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    Surprisingly in India, the inconsequentiality of Indian geopolitical position is being countered by displaying hatred against Islam. And as most Pakistanis are Muslims, they are also hated because they follow Islam. The amount of hatred spewed against Islam and Pakistan in Indian discussion forums is also unbelievable.
    Another important factor is that some years ago, the Indian discussion forums would immediately react and delete anti Islam and anti Muslim or Christian remarks and banish the posters. This was due to the presence of large population of Muslims and Christians in India. Now however, Indian discussion forums and their blogs not only openly use abusive language against Islam and Christianity but also against Indian Muslims and Christians, at times citing reasons as “pleasing of minorities at the cost of majority Hindus. The sensitivity of their own Muslim and Christian countrymen does not bother them any longer. Indira Gandhi’s grand son was not very wrong when he said that the biggest danger to India comes from Hindu fundamentalists.
    Display of such hatred against any entity which is not Hindu is threateningly alarming for the region as a whole and even beyond. And this phenomenon is growing by the day.

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  • April 19, 2011 at 9:18 am
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    Surprisingly the analysis conducted by Mr. Khan published here on Mar 22, has now started emerging in other analyses and articles and op-eds being published by known mainstream world media outlets. Amazing foresight this gentleman had when he penned down his thoughts on future geopolitical environment of South Asia. Marvelous indeed.

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  • April 19, 2011 at 12:42 pm
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    Hey Smith K, you are right. What this person indicated in his piece is actually being reported by others as well.

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  • April 19, 2011 at 4:15 pm
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    Very good and apt analysis of the environment.

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  • April 20, 2011 at 12:18 pm
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    US Pak relations may not be very good but it is apparent that at this stage and even after this stage US would continue to require Pakistani assistance. Therefore, US would have to accept many Pakistani demands and will have to reconcile with the ground realities. Otherwise US stay in this part of the world would become almost untennable.

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  • April 22, 2011 at 6:43 pm
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    following 9/11 and pakistan taking u-turn visa viz taliban exposed its vulnerability.peace in south asia hangs on razors edge.one wrong step by any regional country be it pakistan in kashmiror india in baluchistan will bring all the players on the stage.that will be catastrphic for the region.restrained wars are already being fought with considerable loss of life and property.All out war will be disasterous.

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  • April 23, 2011 at 1:25 pm
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    Indian PM and General Kiyani had talks through Manmohan’s unofficial envoy ten months ago. Indian Express reports. This could only have happened when India had realised their almost inconsequality in the geopolitical environment.

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  • May 6, 2011 at 2:40 pm
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    Nothing more than a anti India article, and there is no geo political relevence for pakistan apart from a terror harbouring country. China is colluding with pakistan to counter India,. So with out terrorism and anti india statements pakistan has no other logical relevance in the world stage.

    please don’t comment on your own articles.

    Reply

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