Gwader port: Hope for Pakistan’s Economic and political resuscitation

Industrial revolution of 1700s did not only introduce new Political and Economic dynamics which impaired and eventually replaced old depraved Economic and Political system but it also gave birth to two Political and Economic systems, Capitalism and Communism, which had and continues to have profound impact on world of Politics and Economics.

The developments in economic, political, social and military arena as a result of Industrial revolution paved way for the development of the idea to use economic instrument for political and social objectives.

USSR was the first to use economic tool for the achievement of Political, Social and Economic objectives under the Political-Economic strategy of GOSPLAN, followed by USA, under President Roosevelt, during the Great Depression.

China under new policy, which was well described by Deng Xiaoping “It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice”, in 1980s made paradigm shift from communist political-economic outlook and introduced state controlled capitalism.

The Economic expansion and alteration devised strong and lasting changes in Social, Political and Economic realm of China.

Gwader port, economically and militarily strategically located, holds the key of Pakistan’s Economic-Political resuscitation with its profound effect on Pakistan’s social fabric.

The handing over of Gwader port to China, Industrially and militarily established state, will help in the development of Gwader as an industrial hub with US 10 Billion dollar investment, addressing the issues of educated-job-less class, helping industrial sector, contributing significantly to the collapsing economy. 

Industrial Gwader will also help in watering down the resentment of local Baluch population by offering economic freedom and improved social overhead. The development of such nature will impair prevailing anti-state political notion and eventually pave way for political settlement of Baluchistan issue.

The energy corridor from Gwader port (Arabian Sea) to North-Western China (Xinjiang) will not only feed the energy needs of China but it will also have multiplier effect on Pakistan’s economy by giving birth to infrastructure and Industry from the shores of the Arabian Sea to the extreme North of Pakistan, giving much needed relief to the impaired and stunned economy of Pakistan.

A National Government of Consensus in Afghanistan, backed by USA, Afghan ethnic groups, Pakistan and regional players, can provide Pakistan an access to the Asia Minor and energy hungry state of Russia, giving birth to “Twin energy Corridors”, ensuring strong economy of Pakistan and will help in the establishment of expanded economic ties with the neighbours and beyond.

Gwader as a military port will not only provide second naval base to Pakistan Navy, allaying the naval threat posed by sizable Indian navy, but also with the help of China it will halt the Indian Navy’s  hydro-graphic activities in Indian Ocean.

Gwader as a military port, on the mouth of Strait of Hormuz with Chinese-Pakistani military presence, will further solidify Pakistan’s strategic importance and impair Indian hegemony on Indian Ocean, auxiliary darkening Indian nightmare of Chinese String of Pearls. 

Pakistan’s stability: Addressing Political and Economic Contradictions

For last six decades Pakistan has followed vague political and economic policy, ignored Political questions arose from political and economic contradictions which gave birth to bitter consequences. The severance of East Pakistan, an example out of many Political blunders, had political and economic roots.  Once the political question is ignored the magnitude of political problem intensifies, Military action can neither dilute nor end the problem which is political in nature on the contrary it will only further complicate the political problem.

The political parties of Pakistan have no inclusive plan to meet Social, Economic and Political problems. The political problems intensified as political parties have no institutions, responsible for development of inclusive elaborated policy addressing, pressing and long-term, imminent political and economic problems.

Vacuity of political parties and establishment has led to the point where disgruntled nation is haunted by the question of Pakistan’s viability and stability.

For politically, economically, culturally divided and diverse Pakistan, no uniform political and economic policy with strong Center’s imprint  will bring about any political and economic objectives, such policy will slim the chances of success on national arena.

Baluchistan, the largest of all provinces with a small population, has long standing political and economic questions.  A tribal society, strongly sensitive, politically and identity wise, always had fears which were never allayed by the strong central govt.

Military operations have further isolated the population and paved way for international players to instigate and facilitate insurgency.

The resentment and the idea of separation have penetrated deep as of wrong Political and Military decisions.  It is indispensable to start the dialogue with the Baluch political forces from the south to water down resentment and impair anti state sentiments.  Military operations of any nature to subvert political sentiments must be avoided.  It is necessary to keep the Pushtun population of Baluchistan away from the prevailing political notion from the South.

KKP, war torn province surrounded by the troubled Tribal Areas with majority Pushtun population, is strongly and directly affected by FATA and Afghanistan. American mission in Afghanistan, operations in FATA and swat region have serious fallout on KKP in form of terrorism, sectarian violence and crime, resulting impaired economy and spoiled social fabric.

Demoralized and confused law enforcing agencies with ever crumbling resolve are unlikely to prevent catastrophes and assaults designed by the well equipped and determined terrorist outfits.

A detailed plan is needed with strong political will to counter terrorism with any exception and for the revival of damaged provincial economy. Clear and bold political decisions can ensure much desired peace and economic progress in an anarchic province. 

Sindh, population wise second largest province of the federation, is bondage to feudal system in Interior and to neo capitalism in urban regions.  The political and economic contradictions have deepened and widened in rural and urban Sindh resulting political and economic status quo resentment, violence and crime.

  Political parties, driven by their vested interests, failed despondently on political front in addressing political and economic questions.

Economic freedom is the key to end political and economic status quo in Interior Sindh. Reformed and controlled Capitalism injected by the state through its political instrument, will pave way for political and economic progress, and will impair feudal system.

Strong and unbiased administrative measures will put check on violence and crime in urban Sindh. Political appointees in administrative Institutions and law enforcing agencies stun any progress to curtail crime and violence in urban Sindh.  Re-structuring of institutions is prerequisite for the strong administrative measures with sturdy Political Intent.

Punjab, population wise the largest province of federation with its strong imprints on Center, is ethnically divided with disgruntled North and South. The slogans of division of Punjab are getting strong and being echoed throughout Punjab.

The division of Punjab will address the resentment and facilitate development efforts in smaller manageable units. But the division on ethnic basis will make ethnic tension and biases permanent. The solution of Punjab’s problem lies in division on administrative basis rather than ethnic. This will ensure no bias and ethnic tension in the aftermath of the division.  This political move will also allay the fears and shallow resentment of Punjabi dominance by the smaller units of federation.

Pakistan, whose different regions exist in different phases of Social, Economic and Political evolution, strong center will impede economic and political designs of the state.  Full provincial autonomy with four subjects, Defense

, Communications, Currency and Foreign Affairs, delegated to the Center will facilitate Economic and social progress for diverse and politically divided Pakistan.

 The Feudal-capitalist system has given birth to iniquitous distribution of capital and parallel economic-political worlds. Resuscitation of knocked-out economy will require designed reforms in the political-economic system by keeping in view the political economic contradictions of that region. 

Uncertain Afghanistan Aftermath; U.S.A, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Since the Afghanistan's invasion, USA has pursued an ambiguous Afghan Policy. One of The reasons was the differences between Pentagon and White House regarding Afghan mission which resulted inconclusive Afghan policy with no clear objectives. The undermining of the strategic interests of collation partners, Pakistan in particular, further deteriorated Afghan situation.

As the war prolonged in Afghanistan Military objectives were further diluted. ISAF was wrongly involved in the scheme of Nation building which dragged ISAF directly into corrupt world of Afghan Politics. Scheme failed miserably on multiple levels adding more worries rather than reducing few.

Political-Military strategy relied heavily on Afghan warlords from the North who enjoyed little or no support in the South and East. It was nothing less than blunder to impose minority over majority in such ethically divided country.

 Corrupt Afghan regime added insult to the American injury. Government composed of warlords indulged in drug trafficking was unlikely to help USA in realizing her Political and Military goals in Afghanistan. Highly unpopular Afghan regime is more part of the problem than part of solution. This can clearly be understood by the way Afghan regime retaliated over peace talks with Taliban in Doha.

Another example of mistrust is failed long-term security deal between US and Afghanistan.  After the withdrawal of ISAF troops in 2014, USA had planned for nine permanent bases in Afghanistan. As US had thought that residual Military presence (2500-12000 troops) would assist Afghan regime and guard USA's regional interests. But long term security deal failed to materialize after the heated video conference between President Obama and Afghan president where both openly blamed one another for the failure of Afghan mission.

American ambiguous Afghan policy and corrupt Hamid Karzai's regime has changed the Afghan mood and helped the Taliban resistance in becoming Afghan resistance. This development has made installed Political-Economic system more fragile.

Another mistake committed by US was to undermine legitimate Pakistani strategic interests. US knew well from previous Afghan experiment against the Soviets, how instrumental Pakistan is for the settlement of Afghan Dilemma. In fact Pakistan is essential to successfully implement American long-term designs. But US for all the wrong reasons opted for India which shares no border with Afghanistan (1007, kms) and culturally and traditionally has nothing in common.

Expanded role of India in Afghanistan disgruntled Pakistan, a country which supply 80% of logistics to ISAF in Afghanistan. The development in Afghanistan not only made Pakistan anxious to her very core but also gave rise to the Pakistani apprehensions of Two Front Situation. Assurances from USA did not allay Pakistan's fears. Some Military experts consider the resurgence of Taliban in 2004 had roots in ever solidifying apprehensions of Two Front Situation of Pakistan's Military establishment.

There also seems to be a dead lock between US and Pakistan over the issues of Indian role in Afghanistan and Taliban's role in future Afghan politics. Pakistan wants to confine Indian role as much as it could, the reason is not only Two Front apprehension of Pakistan but also, Pakistan accuses Indian for instigating insurgency in Baluchistan.

Pakistan willing cooperation, for the stable Afghanistan, is essential. but it is only possible when Pakistani legitimate concerns are addressed in details.  Pakistan must have sense of ownership to the afghan solution. Pakistan has suffered immensely, economically politically and militarily, in War against terror and now if US assign India a role more than her capacity and political-economic worth, it will have adverse effect on Afghan solution.

Uncertainty prevails over Afghanistan because of confronting interests of USA, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The imminent danger is not Taliban but the confronting interests of collation partners. It is essential for USA, Afghanistan and Pakistan to have homogeneous and comprehensive Afghan Policy dealing with immediate and long-term Afghan problems, ensuring regional harmony and setting new course for war fatigued and disgruntled Nation who has suffered the most in this "International Game of Chess”.

Judicial decisions and their Political fallouts; Controversies and Chaos

The most unfortunate reality which Pakistanis have been facing since the creation of homeland is ever-restructuring and under-developed institutions of Pakistan. These Institutions have not reached maturity and have failed to provide sense of security to people at large. This delay is resuscitation by the national institutions not only have weakened the institutions themselves but also made democratic system fragile.

As we have already deduced from the experiments of last six decades that Institutions, well structured and conscious of their power and limits, can ensure stability and progress of homeland.

The recent events in Pakistan's history has set the new course for Pakistan and helped to revive political and judicial systems in a new dimension. These events have become pretext of re-structuring of the institutions, marking new boundaries for itself and struggle to confine others.

The problem has arrived because of this new power and the temptation to exercise it without any objection by others. This has become the very reason for the rift between the different organs of the state.

 Military in the past had exercised this power to it’s will and now judiciary seems to be in mood to have taste of it, by perhaps intentionally ignoring the consequences military had to face. Judiciary in last few years has made decisions of great significance which has and will continue to have tremendous impact on Pakistan. Most of the decisions were judicially appropriate but the way they were handled and then followed up raised few questions.

The first example was how the cases of same nature of Yousaf Raza Gillani and Raja Parvez Ashraf were handled. The Supreme Court which by her stature and status is bound to be impartial gave impression of partiality.

The second example was of Air Marshall Asghar khan case. First it took some time for Supreme Court to take up the case, which made general public anxious, later doubts were allayed by the appropriate decision by the Court. But people again were disgruntled when there was no follow-up on this case by Supreme Court. It really would have affected mental position of Imran khan if not public.

The third example was Tahir-ul-Qadri episode. Supreme Court judges, some consider, humiliated Tahir-ul-Qadri and bench had already made decision before actually listening to Tahir-ul-Qadri's view point.

Fourth example was how Supreme Court intervened in Presidential elections disgruntling major political parties, giving rise to the adverse sentiments for Supreme Court. Once again most of the political parties were reasonably vocal against intervention of Supreme Court with addendum of Imran khan to the limerick.

The fifth example was of course the contempt notice to Imran khan, giving rise to questions like why Imran khan was singled out when Aitzaz and others were singing the same song? Imran khan in comparison to Faisal Raza Abidi was polite as one could be.

These all events have led to new ambiguous and murky political scenario making Supreme Court controversial, when by her stature and status it cannot afford to be controversial for greater National Interests. Supreme Court can function well only when it is able to refrain herself from all controversies and only then it will be able to take unbiased decisions acceptable to the Nation without question.