Who will pay the cost of ‘Absolutely Not’?


Muhammad Ijaz
After two decades of bloodshed in the name of war on terrorism, USA decided to leave the territory of Afghanistan with uncertain future of Afghan people. Next to the withdrawal of American military personnels, no one knows about the result of civil insurgency that will be provoked due to contending aspirations of Taliban and American-backed Afghan Government to hold the Afghan territory. But USA still have the lust to exercise her power on Afghanistan on behalf of Pakistan’s territory and use it in the favor of American interests, especially to own the success in Central Asian territory. No doubt,USA paid the heavy economic costthat is almost more than $2.26 trillion of war on terror on Afghan territory and also paid the human cost and got here 2442 military personnels killed while got 20666wounded. Despite these sufferings, unfortunately, this time Afghan territory could not prove lucky for her. As usual, Afghan territory was used against her in the form of Proxy war in the same way as was used bythe USA against Soviet Union four decades ago. There are many question marks which have to justify by the students of Pol. Science and International Relations related to the role of front line states of war on terrorism as a neighbouring countries of Afghanistan. Apart from the interest of neighbouring countries related to their pro-Afghan Government, a major question is that how and why America wants to take support from Pakistan once again for her interest in Afghanistan, despite American ex-president’s alleging that Pakistan played a dual rule in war on Terror. Secondly, why Pakistan is so important for USA that in spite of suspicious role of Pakistan in this war, USA still relies on Pakistan? Answer is very interesting and simple that in 2001 and now in 2021 again Pakistan’s geo-strategic importance for American targets in Afghanistan play significant role. The other country which could provide access to Afghanistan was Iran, but there is no iota of doubt that Iran is not going to hand-shake with the USA so the importance of Pakistan grew more. While in the region other major regional countries like China and Russia were not happy on USA’s move in the Central Asia in 2001 but could not openly oppose the USA due to 9/11 incident at that time but now the situation is totally different regionally and internationally. Similarly for the peaceful withdrawal from the Afghanistan, now USA wants support from Pakistan. Not only geo-strategically, Pakistan is important at the moment but also due to Pakistan’s influence on Afghan Taliban. Historically, within the two previous decades many changes occurred in the region. For example economic leadership of the world switched over from North America to Asia, especially the emergence of China as economic super power along with Afghanistan’s domestic changes from gross root level to national level. But unfortunately,the overall situation of Afghanistan could not remain according to the America’seconomic as well as political interest. The economic support of China to the Central Asian countries and Iran in the form of OBOR and especially with Pakistan in the form of CPEC increases the problems for USA to the influence the regional politics economically and militarily. Even China’s economic muscles enhanced China’s interests in Europe, where China’s economic policies are considered as areplica of Marshal Plan of USA, which was given to counter Soviet’s influence on Eastern Europe and Middle Eastern countries. China’s maritime silk route and land silk route in the form of BRI is the economic containment plan of China for the interest of the USA and her aggressive war based economy. Further Afghan proxy war was considered a major blow and push to falling wall of American’s hegemony in the region of Central Asia. While on the other hand, other state actorsof this regional politics of Central Asia are also part of this hidden warfare including Russia, Iran and Pakistan for the sake of their own respective interests against the USA. Keeping in their minds all this changing interest, Pakistani policy makers used the democratic “No” in the form of “Absolutely Not” to Uncle SAM. This is not the first time, before this PM Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif also committed such type of mistake in the form of “no” regarding the nuclear politics of Pakistan. But interestingly, mostly such positions were taken by the civilian elected faces and not complemented by even single one by the dictators. From PresidentAyub to President Musharaf, all dictators proved good friends for the capitalist forces and their interests. Due to this reason, Pakistan’s democracy paid heavy prices by saving her national interest instead of International Interest. Let’s see in near future or far future, what will be the cost paid by the Pakistani democracy this time for “Absolutely Not”. But this is the time of rejoicing of “Absolutely Not” along with regional political victory in Afghanistan and economic dependency that is switching from one economic power to the second one.