Secretary of State Pompeo visit to India after Pakistan’s short visit and tone of Indian press gives different picture when compared to what was discussed in Pakistan. It is a fact that during visit of Pompeo to Pakistan the mantra of do more was not there and Prime Minister of Pakistan made it very clear that Pakistan has done more than it could do and in the bargain have suffered greatly in men and material, loss of thousands of soldiers and civilians coupled with infrastructure damages has greatly affected the economy of Pakistan.
But United States continue to exhibit soft corner for India and attaches no importance to our concerns, this sort of attitude is not new but over the years Pakistan has been neglected when compared with India. They have embraced our blood enemy India, who due to changed geo political realities calls India as their “natural and strategic” ally but what has surprised Pakistan is the joint statement of India and US Secretary of State after their meeting that Pakistan to ensure its territory was not being used to launch terror attacks on other countries. United States should have avoided in passing such remarks and pleasing India by putting blame on Pakistan. Their 17 years war on terror has brought no success to them and now ultimately wishes to have a table solution which Pakistan has been advocating. On all such occasions and meetings Pakistan has always assured that they would do anything to bring peace in Afghanistan and ready to extend all type of help and assistance needed to United States and Afghanistan in their endeavours. United States is fully aware that RAW agents have been very active in Baluchistan and FATA area and many such agents have been caught. Arrest of Indian serving naval officer Kulbhoshan Yadev and his confessions are eye opener and should have been taken seriously. Secondly United States should know that India cannot play any role in Afghanistan as they have nothing at stake therefore they should be kept away from this conflict but what we have seen over the years that their involvement in Afghanistan has increased and in that US is on board with them that further encourages them to continue their propaganda and interference against Pakistan
Prime Minister of Pakistan has categorically stated that Pakistan is not going to fight any war of others and gone are the days and said that army and civil government is at the same page on national issues and army is not operating independently and declared it as a myth than reality. Undoubtedly India has old desire of becoming super power therefore spending huge budget on defence and collecting all type of advanced war equipment but her dream may never materialise. India had deep relations with Russia their 25 years defence pact with them in 1970 when Pakistan was fighting war of its survival is now become part of history. India has found a new friend in China and both have economic interests. India is a big market and China would never like to lose it. United States want to prepare India against China and Pakistan to control this region but Pakistan shall never allow this to happen as it will disturb the balance of power. To please India US has taken many steps to tighten our nose like open threats by President Donald Trump, accusing Pakistan of exporting terrorism, sanctions on Pakistani companies, FATF threat, withholding our already spent coalition support fund and suspension of further CSF, Control of IMF to put more pressure on Pakistan to take their dictation. The US and India has signed a major military communications agreement, this has been under discussion for more than a decade, will allow India to receive military grade communications equipment from the US and permit the real time encrypted information on platforms used by the Indian and US armed forces. Frankly speaking it is partnership against China’s ambitions in Asia just to please India to counter Pakistan’s strategic alliance with China. This is another technique to sell arms by creating bogey of China. Sales of military equipment to India have increased considerably over the past decade and perhaps India is the second largest buyer of US military equipment. It may be pointed out that US has signed such agreement with over 30 nations but its utility is restricted on papers.
No matter how hard they try their relationship is based on false pretexts of serving each other’s interests unlike Pakistan and China that has a long history of trusted friendship. This new grown relationship will only stand test of time if the other powers in the region submit to US-India band wagoning which they will not. It is curtains for USA in this region except that India will extract benefit from its alliance with it. Pakistan makes a very cool and calculated shift to other powers that be. Russia and China together will hold dear Pakistan’s concerns and through SCO Pakistan will have institutional representation that will have the backing of many countries. Pakistan will not disconnect but gradually move away from its dependence in USA.
The writer is a freelance journalist and defence Analyst.