Source: The NationS.R.H Hashmi
The Nation in its February 22 issue, has reported that the United
States is putting pressure on Pakistani authorities to allow it to
establish intelligence bases in the country’s Balochistan province to
gather intelligence on Iran, and this report has been confirmed by two
officials from the security agencies and one from diplomatic circles.
Furthermore, the resolution introduced in the US Congress to recognize
the right of Baloch people to self-determination is part of the pressure
tactics to force Pakistan to give in.
We heard so much about
dictator Pervez Musharaf giving in to the US on one telephone call and
that this would not have happened had a democratic government been in
power then. However, continuation of drone attacks despite unanimous
parliamentary resolutions against these as well as unequivocal
condemnation by top civilian and military leaders, the Abbottabad
operation and subsequent attack of Salalah post that killed 24 soldiers
do not quite reassure the public of government’s strength. Of course
Salalah attack drew strong response from civilian and military leaders,
like stoppage of Nato supplies going through Pakistan, throwing out
Americans from Shamsi airbase, and determining new terms of engagement
with the US by the parliament. However, we heard that Nato supplies
through our airspace resumed while the parliament has still not
finalised its recommendations, which is surprising to say the least.
We
have not seen much way of good governance but hope that at least on a
matter of such vital importance for Pakistan, the government would take a
firm stand and will not accede to requests or even threats from
Americans who are no friends of ours and are here to implement their
agenda of redrawing the maps of Muslim states as well as depriving us of
our nuclear weapons. Allowing the Americans to operate near the Iranian
border would be doubly harmful because in addition to their subversive
activities in Balochistan, they would successfully draw a wedge between
us and friendly Iran. The Americans and their accomplices successfully
created tension, between Shia and Sunni communities which have been
living together peacefully in Iraq for ages. It would be a shame if we
allow them to do the same here and thus cooperate with them in our own
undoing and that of our neighbours, in return for a few dollars in aid
or otherwise.
