Matrix Special
In this interview with Matrix, Senator Mushahid Hussein Syed, also a former Editor, provides matter-of-fact scrutiny of Pakistan’s foreign and defense policy. He calls for a national across-the-board consensus on these policies and draws on examples of several other countries where politicians and media stand united on foreign and defense affairs. Mushahid Hussein also believes that , having fought off the menace of proxy terrorism, Pakistan has once again proven its geo-strategic relevance to the world and hence has openly avowed its friendship with China, as an inseparable partner of Beijing in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Below are excerpts from the interview:
Matrix: You have been viewing foreign relations very closely, and are a serving member of the defense committee in senate. How do you see the situation Pakistan is facing right now? Opposition parties are criticizing the government, asking for transparency, details of agreements, etc. What is your opinion about it?
Senator Mushahid: I think that collectively Pakistan’s regional and geopolitical state of affairs has improved. Our status in the region and the region’s status in the international politics is still extremely relevant. Our relationship with China is very strong with CPEC in its second phase. USA needs Pakistan’s assistance in their departure from Afghanistan. And whether it’s Saudi Arabia or Iran, we have good relations with both. Russia also wants better relations with Pakistan. And in this region – whether South Asia, Central Asia (CARs) or the Gulf countries – Pakistan stands out as the hub of regional connectivity. I think this has provided us a strategic space, the mantra of ‘Do More’ has vanished.
Matrix: How did we manage this strategic space, who is to be credited for this?
Senator Mushahid: I think it is worth mentioning that Pakistan’s military establishment has played a positive role in this. Especially the current COAS General Bajwa has played a big role in the outreach (to major countries in and outside the region). He has reversed the past mistakes of the establishment in the Afghan policy, the concept of strategic depth has also been forgotten.
The best thing is that we have clarified that ‘we have no favorites in Afghanistan.’ And if we observe the people who have visited Pakistan in the last six months including a delegation of Afghan Taliban, Mr. Hikmatyar, Ahmad Shah Masood’s brother, Karim Khalili, leader of Hazaras, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, it is evident that we don’t have any favorite. We aren’t associated with any one particular faction. We want durable peace in Afghanistan and smooth relations with all the powers in Afghanistan including the Kabul government, and all other parties.
Matrix: But Americans don’t trust this narrative. They think that whatever happened with the US in Afghanistan was engineered and planned by Pakistan’s military establishment. So how correct do you think this American narrative and perception is?
Senator Mushahid: There are two debates. Analysts like you and me were of the view that America doesn’t have staying power, it will ultimately run away from Afghanistan i.e. they will cut and run and the same impression was observed in Islamabad, and in the policy circles. Regretfully, we were proven right because this has been American tradition, be it Vietnam, or any other place. The second debate is that US is a super power, they made a huge decision after 9/11 of fighting a war in which they have wasted 6.4 trillion dollars, out of which 2.5 trillion dollars were wasted in Afghanistan. Now they cannot blame their own weaknesses for their failure, they cannot accept their mistake. They need a scapegoat hence they blame Pakistan. At times they wanted us to take on Taliban, at times they wanted us to talk to the Taliban. Now surprisingly, the same Sirajuddin Haqani accussed for Haqani network is writing op-eds in New York Times, and is signing agreements with Zalmai Khalilzad, President Donald Trump personally called Mullah Brothers. In my view, this has happened for the first time in history that US has signed a peace agreement with a non-state actor, not with a state, or government, but with a non-state actor hence legitimizing it. Now what can we do about their failure? They started the war, we tried to tell them the consequences which they couldn’t understand then, and now that it’s time to leave, they are asking for a respectable way out.
Matrix: Will the US be able to get an honorable exit from Afghanistan?
Senator Mushahid: One should take into account both perceptions and reality. The fact is, US lost the war. Just now I went through a story published on Reuters on May 8th, about the secret article in the February 29th US peace agreement with the Taliban stating that Afghan Taliban will defend US forces and bases in Afghanistan against Dayesh, and what happened on ground is the complete opposite. The US signed an agreement with the same people it once called terrorists to act as its protectors.
Matrix: After 9/11 and the US discussions with General Musharraf, the major narrative that floated on national media and some of international media was that US will now teach Pakistan a lesson, do you think it happened?
Senator Mushahid: It is imperative to highlight that there was a trap after 9/11, Hindustan was the first regional country to offer US its bases, airspace, and land, Jaswant Singh admitted himself. But since India doesn’t have a direct border with Afghanistan, the US needed Pakistan. The Indian plan was to join with US for teaching Pakistan a lesson, which couldn’t happen. It reminds me a verse of the Holy Quran which states that “He planned, they planned, and verily the Almighty is the best of planners.” India’s malign plans can’t be executed, because the key is with someone else.
Matrix: Do you think a whole new industry about radicalization, counter-terrorism, counter extremism etc., at the back of the military intervention in Afghanistan was established to pinch Pakistan?
Senator Mushahid: Now after almost 20 years since 9/11, the only country that succeeded in the war on terror is Pakistan. The Pakistani armed forces, general population, and governments have given huge sacrifices, 75000 people were martyred (both armed forces and civilians). But still, events and activities like that of disinfo lab of the EU, or the switch on-switch off phenomenon by western media, have always demonized, destabilized and maligned Pakistan. When President Trump created his strategy for the South Asian region in August 2017, CNN asked me to review the strategy, I wrote in an article that was published on August 20th, 2021 that I hold the same opinion about it as Einstein has, he surprisingly asked Einstein? He was scientist and died long ago. I said Einstein once said, “Trying to do the same thing over and over again is a sign of either stupidity or insanity. I predicted, that after 6 months, we will get a call from Washington, and they will request us to please help them, which actually happened.
Matrix: How do the opposition political parties view Pakistan’s journey in the last 5-6 years? Do you think Pakistan did the right thing and successfully?
Senator Mushahid: I think it is imperative to view foreign policies, national stability, and defense system, through a national lens which is beyond politics and political affiliations, because these are about Pakistan and its national interest. In the last government (of Mr. Nawaz Sharif), CPEC initiated, and a lot of people especially analysts in Pakistan predicted that such a huge project can’t even start in Pakistan, because Pakistan was going through war, and was isolated, going towards defeat and only gets 2-300 Million dollars as aid from the World Bank, IMF etc. to complete projects. CPEC was like China’s vote of confidence for Pakistan’s future, people, and state in that crucial time. At that time no one was ready to talk about it, neither the west, nor the Muslim countries.
Matrix: How will the US attacks on China impact Pakistan? Since Joe Biden didn’t only say it in his speeches, but also brought the contain China Bill, how will it impact Pakistan?
Senator Mushahid: South Asia’s geographical context has now transformed into geopolitical and geo-economic. China, South Asian countries, and even Central Asian countries are emerging as a greater South Asia, which has Pakistan, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, and Afghanistan with increased connectivity through ports, pipelines, roads, railways, and energy economy. Unfortunately, the US establishment looks for a new enemy every 20 years. In Cold War, it was Soviet Union, and even then we played a role in ending that issue and we suffered as well. Then it was Islam, after 9/11. Now, they see the emerging power i.e. China as an enemy and assume that China is competing US, for which they have presented the Strategic Competition Act in the US senate on April 15th, 2021. On June 06th, President Biden’s op-ed published in Washington Post hinted that US is competing China and Russia. So this is the preparation for a new Cold War, this is a tried, tested and failed formula. Pakistan has been through this path, 50 years ago, and I will give credit to the then leadership for making the right decision and befriending China. That was a tough time, we didn’t have much options, and at that time only US wasn’t opposing China, Soviet Union was also in the race. But we made a right decision in the right direction for our own national interest. So we are quite clear, we will never compromise on our national interest.
It isn’t an either or zero sum game for us, it doesn’t mean that we have joined hands with China to compete America, we want good relations with America as well. In fact we will welcome USA in CPEC and BRI. Last time the American ambassador when raised questions on CPEC, I told him that you are a part of CPEC, your technology is very much there. You’re already involved indirectly.
Matrix: Do you think that all these US promises will be delivered practically? Will Pakistan be at the receiving end due to the India-China dilemma?
Senator Mushahid: In President Bush’s era, Reconstruction opportunity zones (ROZs) were announced to be established in FATA to ensure duty free exports. I met Senator Biden, and Senator Kerry, and I discussed with them that these ROZs are a mirage. Last week the US announced 13 Million dollars for International Military Education Training (IMET) Program, in which Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh’s armed forces will get trainings in USA. So four countries for 13 million dollars, till now only this announcement has been made. We are looking forward to any other announcements. Pakistan is a country that welcomes foreign investment, even US investment. You can come to Gwadar, to northern areas, invest in power, infrastructure, who is stopping you? The US always talks about the labor union and labor lobby, the point is, we should only talk about things that are do-able. China made a promise, and fulfilled it. We expect from America, because we have age-old relations with US, we don’t have any rivalry with the US. We welcome them to invest in Pakistan.
Matrix: Pakistan doesn’t have any differences with USA, China is a close friend. Relationships shouldn’t be at the cost of one another. On foreign affairs, defense matters, the whole nation should have one narrative. There should be no divide or compromise on these issues. Unfortunately, our country faces divides on the basis of difference of opinion and narrative and that fault line then benefits our enemies. China’s support in this regard is imperative and I pray that Pakistan keeps on developing economically. Thank you.
