Capital suggestion Consider the following timeline, Dr Farrukh Saleem

Capital suggestion Consider the following timeline, Dr Farrukh Saleem

Published in The News on Sunday, September 16, 2012
September 22, 2011 – Admiral Mike Mullen, America’s most senior military officer, says, “The Haqqani network acts as a veritable arm of the country’s intelligence services.”

September 4, 2012 – It was reported that General Kayani will be visiting Moscow in September and President Putin will be visiting Pakistan in October.

September 6, 2012 – A Russian delegation arrives in Islamabad.

September 7, 2012 – Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, sends a report to Congress on the Haqqani network stating: “Today, I have sent a report to Congress saying that the Haqqani network meets the statutory criteria of the Immigration and Nationality Act for designation as Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).”

September 9, 2012 – A UN delegation arrives in Islamabad to “probe into the issue of missing persons in the country” (look up East Timor and Southern Sudan).

September 10, 2012 – Fox News, in an alleged interview with Dr Shakil Afridi, reports Afridi claiming “Pakistan’s powerful spy agency regards America as its ‘worst enemy’ and that the government’s claims that it is cooperating with the US are a sham to extract billions of dollars in American aid.” Afridi has denied giving any such interview.

September 10, 2012 – Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, requests the US Senate “to vote on a bill to freeze aid to Pakistan” because Pakistanis consider “American to be their worst enemies.” Senate leadership denied the request.

September 11, 2012 – Congressman Rohrabacher, chairman of House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, claims that “Pakistan is a partner of terrorist who murdered fellow Americans.” 

Conclusion 1: Exactly a year ago, the Americans shot off their warning for Pakistan to choose between the Haqqan network and the US. It took them a year to actually declare the Haqqani network a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. This FTO declaration may or may not lead to a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’ label for Pakistan but if it does Pakistan will be much worse off than it presently is (Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are currently on the list).

Conclusion 2: Washington feels that Islamabad is tilting towards the Haqqanis over the US and Islamabad, wanting to show off a potential ‘Russia card’, is making moves in that direction.

Conclusion 3: America is egocentric and selfish. We need to pick the path that is best for us. Not to forget that there will be a reaction to every action we take.

The bottom line – as it always is – has to be economics. Diplomacy without an economic leg to stand on is destined to fail. Here are just three of many such facts:

Fact 1: We need $24 billion in the following 24 months just to avoid an outright default.

Fact 2: Pakistan’s exports to Russia stand at $100 million a year. We really don’t produce what Russia needs, and vice versa. Plus, the freight from Karachi to St. Petersburg is a hefty $5,600 per 40 ft. container.

Fact 3: Pakistan-US bilateral trade is a wholesome $6 billion a year.

According to PoliTact, a think tank, “Russia and China are increasingly challenging US” and will use all tools available to them. To be certain, two regional strategic alliances are in the making. The American-led alliance includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the UAE, Turkey, Afghanistan and Nato. The Russo-Chinese led alliance has Iran, Syria and Hezbollah onboard. Pakistan must decide – what is in our best national interest. Is September a good month to bluff? Is bluffing in our national interest?

September, I have been told, “tries its best to have us forget summer.”

The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. Email:farrukh15@hotmail.com

 

About K4Kashmir

PROFILE OF Dr SHABIR CHOUDHRY Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in Nakker Shamali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and holds a dual nationality. Dr Shabir Choudhry has done extensive research on the issue of Kashmir and Indo Pakistan relations. He passed BA Honours in Politics and History, and Mphil in International Relations (title of the thesis, ‘Kashmir and Partition of India’); and title of his PhD thesis is ‘Kashmir- An issue of a nation not a dispute of a land’. Apart from this Dr Shabir Choudhry passed Post Graduates Certificates in Education, and NVQ Assessor’s qualifications; and taught English in London. Political Achievements Founder member of JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front established in 1977) and got elected as a Press Secretary in 1984. • Became its Secretary General in 1985, and resigned from this post in 1996. • Got elected President of JKLF and Europe in May 1999, and decided not to contest in elections of July 2001. • Said good - bye to the JKLF as it is in many groups and is largely seen as advancing a Pakistani agenda on Kashmir dispute, and set up a new party Kashmir National Party in May 2008. . At present, he is: • Spokesman Kashmir National Party and Director Diplomatic Committee; • Founder member and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs; Previously • A founder Member and Trustee/ Director of London based registered charity, Kashmir Foundation International and resigned from this position in August 2001. • Regularly take part in the Sessions of the UN Human Rights (Commission) now Council in Geneva; and address various conferences and seminars to oppose violence and highlight the Kashmir cause. • Have addressed dozens of seminars and conferences in the British Parliament, European Parliament and other important capitals of the world on issue of Kashmir, violence and terrorism. • Addressed as a key note speaker in a Conference at New Delhi arranged by Jawahar Lal Nehru University. • Participated in a Round Table Conference on Kashmir, organised by Socialist Group of European Parliament in Brussels in 1993. • Addressed as a Chief Guest in a seminar on issue of Mangla Dam during the UN Sub Commission’s proceedings in August 2003. • Addressed as a key - note speaker in a seminar on the issue of Gilgit and Baltistan, organised by Association of British Kashmiris. • Addressed as a keynote speaker on human rights conference in Paris in 1991. • Addressed at Cambridge University as a Chief Guest in a conference on Kashmir in 1990. • Addressed as a keynote speaker at New Delhi conference on Kashmir, which was part of Track Two diplomacy in November 2000. • In September 2008, addressed a Conference arranged by Interfaith International in Geneva, topic of which was: “Kashmir Issue, Terrorism and Human Rights”. • Addressed as a speaker in a NGO Conference on Self - Determination in Geneva in August 2000. • Addressed as a keynote speaker in a fringe meeting of Liberal Democrats at their Annual Conference in Brighton in 1995. • Participated in World Human Rights Conference in Vienna in 1993. • Before President Clinton's visit to India and Pakistan in 2000, lead a JKLF delegation to the State Department to discuss Kashmir dispute and situation in South Asia. • Also had two rounds of meetings with senior State Department officials before President Musharraf’s meeting to Washington in June 2003. • Apart from that had meetings with senior officials including Ministers of different countries, and also held many meetings with the State Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on number of occasions. • Played important role in advancing a Kashmiri perspective on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir; and also helped Baroness Emma Nicholson with her report ‘Kashmir: present situation and future prospects’, which was adopted by the European Parliament in May 2007. • Won first prize in an essay competition in Urdu in 1976. It was organised by High Commission of Pakistan in London, and title of the essay was 'Qaaid-e- Azam's role in Islamic History'. • Apart from that have addressed conferences in Brussels, Geneva, Toronto, Islamabad, Delhi, and Publications • Got first Urdu novel ‘Fareena’ published at the age of eighteen. • Second Urdu novel ‘Bay-Khataa’ which was about the problems of Asian youths living in UK published in 1983. • Third Urdu book ‘Pakistan and Kashmiri struggle for independence’ published in 1990. • Fourth Urdu book is also on Kashmiri struggle, 'Is an independent Kashmir a conspiracy?' • Apart from that has twenty five books and booklets published in English on various aspects of the Kashmiri struggle. • Recent publications are: Kashmir dispute as I see it • Different perspective on Kashmir • JKLF visit to Pakistan Administered Kashmir • Kashmir Needs a Change of Heart • If not self - determination then what? • Emma Nicholson report- who has won? • Struggle for independence, Jihad or proxy war (Introduction by Baroness Emma Nicholson) • Why 22 October 1947 is important in Kashmiri history? • New dimensions of the Kashmiri struggle. The following books are published by a German company and available on www.amazon.co.uk • New Round of the 'Great Game', ISBN 978-3-639-33084-7 • Liberation Struggle, Jihad or a Proxy War, ISBN 978-3-639-33424-1 • Kashmir Dispute: New Dimensions and New Challenges ISBN 978-3-639-33566-8 • Kashmir Dispute and Peace in South Asia ISBN 978-3-639-33732-7 • Terrorism, Kashmir Dispute and Possible Solutions ISBN 978-3-639-34239-0 • Kashmir And The Partition of India, (my Mphil research) ISBN 978-3-639-34801-9 • Kashmir – an Issue of a Nation not Dispute of a Land, (my PhD research) 978-3-639-35593-2 • Are Kashmiris part of the Kashmir Dispute? 978-3-639-37225-0 • A brief background Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in a small village called Nakker Shamali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and like other people from the region, holds a dual nationality. He left secondary school in 1970 with no qualifications and began his life as a textile worker. In 1975 he started part time studies and passed Matriculation from Government High School Panjeri, passed ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels from UK, and resumed full time degree course in 1981, and passed BA (Hons) in Politics and History in 1984. He continued full time and part time jobs until he got his Mphil. He passed his PGCE (Post Graduates Certificate in Education) in 1990, and then started full time job as a Lecturer. Due to health problems he resigned from teaching in 1999. At present he is self - employed, provides private tuition, translation and interpretation and consultancy. Through out his adult life he has actively worked for the cause of Kashmir, and even during long illness he effectively carried out his responsibilities as a leader of the JKLF, a ‘prolific writer’ and consistent campaigner of Rights Movement and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and South Asia. Dr Shabir Choudhry Email:drshabirchoudhry@googlemail.com Telephone: 0044 (0)7790942471

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