The US ex-ambassador to Pakistan should be lauded for dutifully and patriotically watching the interests of her country. She served the US to the best of her ability. At times she worked more as an intelligence agent than an ambassador. She obtained useful information and sent it without delay or subtraction to Washington. She expertly analysed all information and sincerely offered her opinion at the end. She proved an excellent reporter and the APNS should give her the award for “best reporter” of the year. On the other hand, the US should declare our rulers the best informers and award them.
Wikileaks has exposed a few reports of the ex-US ambassador to Pakistan. If the Wikileaks exposed the reports of the Iranian, UK, UAE, Saudi Arabian and French ambassadors to Islamabad, I do not know what would happen. Those reports may expose many faces wearing the façade of “patriotism”.
Foreign interference in Afghan affairs is unmatched by any country in the region. The Afghans are dependent upon foreigners for defence, economic survival and political stability. Despite these shortcomings, they are never heard complaining against each other before the envoys of other countries. On the other hand, the rulers, politicians and bureaucrats of Pakistan consider the US envoy a de facto viceroy.
The DG ISI gave an in-camera briefing to parliamentarians. Many journalists tried to access the parliamentarians to get a copy of this briefing but everyone refused to oblige the journalists because it was declared a secret. However, after the briefing all parliamentary leaders collectively visited the American ambassador and shared its details with her. The parliamentarians were not alone in pleasing the American envoy. A former general, a close confidante of Gen (r) Musharraf and Pakistan’s ex-ambassador to the US at a critical juncture of our history and later a national security adviser to the prime minister of Pakistan, handed over the complete draft of the briefing to the US ambassador. When ordinary people and journalists who consider Pakistan their country visit a foreign embassy, the intelligence agencies follow us and suspect our patriotism. But those who handed over the draft of a very sensitive briefing to the US ambassador will remain perfect “patriots”. No one dares touch them.
Everyone knows about the diplomatic, economic and strategic compulsions of this country. We are surrendering our sovereignty before others for the sake of settling scores with India. We are not a people who could take on a superpower like the US. It is also a fact that Pakistan cannot become Iran, China or Venezuela. But are we worse than Afghanistan?
The question is: why are our political and military leaders so impressed by the US? After brainstorming, I have come to the conclusion that since the interests of the elite of Pakistan do not lie in this country, they are least bothered to protect the interests of Pakistan. Their interests actually lie in countries where they go for medical treatment, where they enjoy holidays, where their children are staying for studies or luxurious and safe lives, or where these elite have stashed away the looted money of this nation. They practically seek the help and guidance of those countries.
If my son was getting an education in England like Bilawal Zardari, or my money was stashed away in European banks or my father was admitted to a hospital in France, I would definitely be paying back by working for the interests of those nations. If I were Nawaz Sharif and my life was saved by Bill Clinton and the Saudi Royal family after I was put behind bars by the chief of the army, today I would be more willing to meet their demands. Similarly, if I was stationed in London like Altaf Hussain, or had adopted Dubai as my home like Asfandyar Wali Khan, then I would be seeking guidance and assistance from these countries while running the affairs of 170 million Pakistanis. If I had the resources to visit the US or European countries, then like Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Maulana Fazlur Rahman I would also keep covert relations with the ambassadors of those countries.
Whatever our political leaders and bureaucrats did is behind us. The political leaders and bureaucrats are on the same footing when it comes to their “patriotism”. Therefore, we should stop the blame game. We should avoid such blunders in future and compel our leaders and bureaucrats to work for the interests of this nation. The parliament should frame a legislation that must bar all parliamentarians, generals, judges and bureaucrats above BS-18 from buying estates or properties in foreign lands, getting citizenships of foreign countries or staying outside the country for more than a week.
The children of these elite should also be banned from getting education in foreign lands. Those who wish to buy such estates or properties or educate their children there or get citizenships of foreign countries should be free to do that, but they must have no standing as to occupy important positions in government or take part in the politics of Pakistan. This initiative will tie down the future of the elite with this country and would compel them to own it wholeheartedly.
Individuals who have no faith in the future of this land, or who do not consider it safe for their children, have no right to become political leaders, generals, judges or bureaucrats here to decide our destiny.
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