The Pakistani Spectator

I can’t remember when I last listened about a brave decision taken by Zardari and co. since 2008 takeover.  All we listen these days is about transfer of power to Washington and bows to Obama. The latest is, quite ridiculously, the Pak-Afghan agreement. Afghan trucks have been allowed to pass through Pakistan to get in touch with Wagah border for further destinations in India.  The obnoxious and suspicious decision came on Sunday, July 18th 2010 in the presence of US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.  Export goods from Afghanistan to India would be allowed to pass the Pakistan territories.

The agreement would result in favour of both Afghanistan and India but Pakistan would have to cope with the problems of new kind: How would Pakistan, in any way, ensure the safe transit of the trucks, while currently the security agencies of Pakistan are unable to stop terrorism within the country?  The dilemma now is far from over.  All the foreign profiles in Pakistan are at high risk already and no country is allowing is people to enter Pakistan, whether it’s about trade, sports or any other activity, no one is risking their life over here.  Yet Pakistani government, under the pressure of the US Secretary of State, has signed the agreement.

How would Pakistan give security to the Afghan trucks?  How would we make sure they reach India safely, and if they don’t, we would be popped in the eye by the world and India would put all its pressure on the world community to punch Pakistan. Papers and print media all around the world would blame Pakistan for not being able to give security to Indian cargo.  A big part of them would blame Pakistan government for destroying Indian-Afghan trade.  It would be hell.

The cargo will be allowed to be transported in sealable trucks while the oversize and bulk cargo which is not imported in containers – ship load will be transported in open trucks or other transport units. Much of the cargo would be hidden and sealed.  How would we know what is being exported to India?  Is it Weapons from USSR to India by Afghan-Pakistan route?  Or Drugs?  Or Cheap and high quality ammunition that is prepared in Afghanistan? Or could it be important anti-Pakistan Indian-friendly profiles to India? All in all would be surely be used against Pakistan.

USSR does not have a short route to export weapons and ammunition to India.  The shortest route is Afghan-Pakistan route – the one signed by Pakistan.  Maybe it is the mastermind of India and USSR to use Pakistan and Afghanistan for their bilateral trade of weapons.

Pakistan has also signed in the pact that Pakistan would get access through Afghanistan to other Asian countries for trade.  Afghanistan is the most unsafe country for transporting good through.  Even the US marines, travelling few kilometers inside Afghanistan travel with tight security. How would Pakistani containers cross thousands of kilometers within Afghanistan without being destroyed?  It is most likely that the Taliban would attack the trucks suspecting them to be ammunition to USSR or to US.  If something like that happens, the world community will rule out it as an act of terrorism by the Taliban.  The Taliban care more about mars than about their impression in front of the world, so the matter would be closed.

An alternate route should be through Iran or though China, which are linked to Arab and Asia pacific respectively and both are the safest countries of the world in terms of trade transit.

What this government does not understand is, the importance of Pakistan and its good name, which seems going bad.