Why Pakistan Can Never Ditch The West

Pakistan has been forced to forge an all purpose alliance with China. The US geo strategic alliance with India to make the country a regional counterweight to China's growing power became an essential motivation for Pakistan to do so. India is Pakistan's erstwhile enemy ever since the partition of subcontinent by British into India and Pakistan in 1947. Both countries have fought numerous wars to date. India has fought an all out war with China as well in 1962. Kashmir remains the common bone of contention among the triangle. Until recently Kashmir enjoyed a special status being administratively controlled by their respective held areas between China, India and Pakistan. However Indian Government of Narendra Modi in its second term in power changed the special status of Kashmir and annexed the entire disputed territory held by them. Further to this the Indian Government's senior ministers made public statements to invade Pakistani administered Kashmir too which holds 60 Billion USD China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project being the flagship of President Xi Jingping's One Belt and One Road Initiative. China responded strongly to the Indian moves in Kashmir by occupying the Galwan Valley, an area claimed by India. This move allowed the Chinese Military to effectively put a blockade to Indian Army's MSR(Main Supply Route) to Siachin, an area where Indian and Pakistani Armies are involved in eyeball to eyeball combat since 1984. Siachin is also the only gateway for an Indian invasion to cut China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

While the western countries, mainly USA is actively engaged in a trade war with China, Pakistan is fast developing an interoperability with China in military and economic spheres. China and Pakistan enjoy deep rooted historical relationship. The bilateral ties are taking shape of military interoperability faced with common aggression by India. China made it possible for Pakistan not to isolate economically and militarily irrespective of full public onslaught by India. China came forward to support Pakistan when all odds were against the country.

Western world lead by US takes China as it's new enemy essentially because of US apprehensions about China. Irrespective an ensuing trade war, in an era of globalization there is no match still to Chinese productivity. China is fast developing Belt and Road project which will link the Chinese production lineup to the Europe/Asian markets without being dependent on US dominant shipping lanes. China-Pakistan alliance and economic corridor makes much more sense to the Pakistanis than any other prospect out there in the world under the circumstances.

Pakistani intelligentsia have made recent calls to boycott western countries in favour of China. This can be attributed to nothing more but a warning to the western world not to unnecessarily back India in her misadventures targeting Pakistan. Pakistan is as deeply linked to western world as it is to China. Huge Pakistani diaspora in the western world acts as economic, social and cultural lifeline between western world and Pakistan. Pakistani official language in practice is still English not Cantonese. Pakistan is more in tune with western capitals when it comes to the ideals of freedom of expression and democracy rather than Beijing. Pakistanis find it easier to practice their religion in Washington or London rather than Beijing or Shanghai. Same goes for food, culture, language and lifestyle choices. Pakistanis are still cautious about next generation of Chinese leadership which is growing up as single child policy children. This generation when in helm of affairs will never take NO for an answer from anyone having grown up as the only scion of the family. Having said that, if anyone is expected to be on the rite side of this generation in future would be the Pakistanis. 

It was Pakistan which linked the US diplomats to China back in the days. Pakistan will continue acting like the historical bridge between China and the western world. China is the next sole superpower of the world. USA has already lost this coveted status by waging meaningless wars for their corporations greed. China is the future leader of the world and while western countries find it a difficult prospect to cooperate directly with China, Pakistan is fast getting in a position to act as an intermediary state to facilitate this inevitable arrangement.

Western countries will continue to be the abode of choice for the Pakistanis. Family ties of Pakistani mainland with now third generation Pakistani diaspora in the western world will keep growing with time. China-Pakistan bilateral relations will also keep strengthening with ever increasing interoperability between the neighbouring countries. Pakistan will soon be in a position to become the global gateway to China's largest region that's Xinjiang. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as One Belt One Road global project's flagship aims to achieve just that and more. Pakistan with its unique connection to the western world and on ground link with China will play an important part in linking both western world and China.

In an interconnected world, no distance is too far, yet ground connections matters most for commerce and trade. Pakistan is China's ground connection to the western world and middle east in that way. Pakistan do not have to ditch either one for another rather become a connection between both.

Has MNS Got NRO from PMIK??

The 'tone' in the power corridors of Islamabad is 'soft' for Ex Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Everyone is worried about his health apparently and highlighting the fact that either he or his daughter have not supported the sit-in dharna of  the cleric politician Molana Fazal ur Rehman so far in the capital city.

Shahbaz Sharif gets the credit to work behind the scenes to create this 'change in tone'. It looks like he managed to convince both sides, his brother and the brass to cooperate.

The common interest of the backers of Shabaz Sharif and Government is Pakistani economy. Later party is working for it but only managing keep it afloat. If the earlier party combines forces with later in the shape of private foreign investments in the Pakistani economy, numbers would look good for Pakistan bringing in more capital.

Imran Khan did not agree to pardon or give NRO to the ailing Nawaz Sharif for all the rite reasons. Also the credit must be given to Prime Minister Imran Khan for agreeing to show leniency in allowing medical treatment of Nawaz Sharif in the UK. It is evident that Imran Khan agreed because of the agreement between the backers of Shabaz Sharif and his Government.

Democracy dictates equal rights for all the political segments of our society. PML-N remains a political reality in our country with its powerful backers who can make and shape Pakistani economy. However, these backers must not be allowed to facilitate tax evasion by smaller traders. They themselves should realize that paying taxes is the only way forward for the Pakistani economy to grow.

Nawaz Sharif may choose to come back or not is another question, but his absence would for sure hurt his grip on his party which is now Shabaz heavy. Shabaz Sharif, his brother is the leader of PML-N who has the wherewithal to keep it relevant as he has proven in the Pakistani national politics. Survival of Shabaz Sharif himself and his political heir in jail for corruption is dependent upon how he plays it.               

THE PURSUIT OF HUMANITY

                                                          The pursuit of humanity.

                                                       (An article by Sabine Kayani)

The devastating, cruel and calculated terrorist attack on defenceless Muslims at the Al Noor and Linwood Masajids in Christchurch, although horrifying, were not completely unexpected. In the last few decades many similar incidents have been faced and confronted on a global scale. Despite this the largely peaceful country of New Zealand was met with unprecedented violence of this scale; for the first time New Zealand was facing the horror that almost every country around the world has had to witness. 

on a deeper level, it wasn't just an assault on one religion, it was an attack on humanity and peace;

Superficially, this particular act of terrorism, was a direct and indirect Islamophobic onslaught on Muslims. However on a deeper level, it wasn't just an assault on one religion, it was an attack on humanity and peace; it was synonymous to an offensive on a person's freedom to peacefully and freely practice any religion or follow any school of thought that they wish to, without the fear of endangering their lives or being hated or ridiculed. 

It was a signal to anyone with even a basic intellect, that we can, at any time be unjustly punished for our choice of the place or country we call home and our religious beliefs.

It was a signal to anyone with even a basic intellect, that we can, at any time be unjustly punished for our choice of the place or country we call home and our religious beliefs. On the parallel scale, fascists that do not uphold the right to these freedoms are further incited by the irresponsible supportive actions of people, such as the Australian senator, Fraser Anning, who have given the signal to white supremacists and other radicals of different faiths and races, that this breed of violence is acceptable. In a nutshell, the idea that we are secure is an illusion. We are not safe. Anywhere. 

The irony that the scene of this brutal massacre was held in a place named Christchurch can't be ignored. Jesus Christ (pbuh) whose message, of love and peace for all mankind was audaciously disrespected in a city named after him, by a man who cited historic Christian battles against Muslims as a justification for his ideology. This man's  actions and views couldn't be further from the teachings of Jesus Christ (pbuh) and have sinister parallels with the ideologies of extremist pseudo Muslims who take the teachings of the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) out of context to justify their violence. 

One of the most haunting and prominent facts of this incident in Christchurch, was the brutal, callousness of the actions of Brenton Tarrant: the white supremacist terrorist initiating the mass murder. His lack of remorse at ruthlessly killing innocent children, women and men was not only apparent, but the heartless killing of his first victim who greeted him in peace, with his first and last words to him being, "Hello brother" serves to epitomize the fact that only the good and vulnerable are attacked by the malicious extremist mentality. A mentality fueled by motivated ignorance, hatred, irrationality, and intolerance. 

Peace is the only logical way forward

There is a profound hope that nothing even resembling this will be repeated but realistically it seems unlikely that it will be the last of similar ideologically propelled attacks and subsequent revenge attacks.

The majority of us are people living in civilized countries that give us freedom of speech and the power to freely put across our opinions and this often deceptively makes us think that we are powerless to stop anyone inciting and celebrating acts of terror and violence. We need to understand that there are exceptions to this rule. An example of this is in Europe and the UK in which the law tries to strike a balance between freedom of speech and the exceptions to the right of free speech. 

Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Right itself recognizes the need for some limits on free speech. Included in the limits are:

* Publishing material or making comments that are specifically designed to incite racial hatred.

* Restrictions to prevent crime and disorder;

Under the racial and religious hatred act of 2006:

* Using threatening words or behaviour intended to stir up religious hatred;

Under the terrorism act 2006:

* Encourage or glorify terrorist acts

The latter two crimes carry the maximum punishment of 7 years imprisonment.

In light of this we all have the authority to legally silence the bigots; fascists; Nazis and racists rampant nowadays, especially on social media. 

The relatively recent wave of Islamophobia is eerily reminiscent of the antisemitism that the Jews have faced on a large scale

The relatively recent wave of Islamophobia is eerily reminiscent of the antisemitism that the Jews have faced on a large scale. Similarly Muslims are being hated worldwide and are being blamed for the actions of a tiny minority; many are using this hatred to unjustifiably revel in celebrating and supporting the actions of the murderer of forty nine innocent lives, not to mention the harm he caused to dozens more, injured and scarred for life. These despicable creatures that commemorate acts of violence committed against innocent civilians, which include women and children, succeed in consolidating and planting seeds of hatred in others. 

The majority of these cowards are hiding behind their computer screens and posting hateful, evil comments on social media that are gathering more hate and support for their cause. There is a very real threat of these presently insignificant bigots being recruited in light of their views by like minded individuals, similar to the recruitment of Muslim extremists pre and post 9/11.

This malevolent frame of mind is being displayed even by some ignorant, educated professionals. It can be seen that destructive rhetoric, based on motivated ignorance is being spewed to justify these innocent deaths and other innocent deaths caused in the same manner in the past.

Our first course of action in any law abiding civilized country should be to report inflammatory statements we come across online and in our surroundings, to the police. 

Our first course of action in any law abiding civilized country should be to report inflammatory statements we come across online and in our surroundings, to the police. The naming and shaming of those that glorify, celebrate and encourage acts of violence, is the most powerful but peaceful weapon and protest against barbarism we have. These people are individuals at the moment; nipping their actions in the bud is the best chance we have of stopping them and retaining peace, harmony and safety. The accused may not go to jail and may not even be severely punished for their actions but they will definitely know that there is a consequence to their actions. The chances are that they will be forced to remove the hateful prejudiced remarks that leave a profound influence on impressionable minds. 

We have a duty of care to call out those that we know or even don't know on social media and those people in positions of power and influence that we genuinely feel are spewing hatred or prejudices against any community including all races and religions. We need to take a stand for others and subsequently protect our-self from the menace of terrorism that we have globally been facing for the past few decades. Many lives have been needlessly lost and only the innocent suffer.

As sane, rational people, a no tolerance policy needs to be adopted universally, towards anything and anyone that promotes; glorifies; condones or celebrates, violence, murder and hatred towards and against anyone. This also means educating those that are close to us such as family, friend's and neighbours. 

We also collectively need to stand against all religious extremists and racist bigots, not to be confused and bullied into supporting them by the fact that they are a similar race or religion to us. These people don't belong to or represent anyone or any religion and have harmed everyone in the most despicable way possible. 

My message to all those this reaches is, stand united with all that is good and weed out the violence and hatred that is growing among us like a malignant tumor. Social media is a powerful tool in the present climate and it's influence resonates. A simple gesture of peace in the shape of a condolence to those that have lost a priceless soul or a kind remark in support of anyone who stands up to bigotry; rebuking anyone who promotes hatred or violence are all steps that we are capable of undertaking. 

We are all one; bleed the same colour; we all grieve for the loss of our loved ones with the same pain and sense of hopelessness; we are all here on earth for only a limited time and we can all only try our best to leave a positive mark. Make a difference, no matter how small, for the sake of our present and future generations. 

Be human, stand for humanity and let it prevail. 

"NO RELIGION IS HIGHER THAN HUMANITY." Abdul Sattar Edhi. (Pakistani philanthropist and humanitarian.) 

The writer is a London based Rights Activist who holds a Masters degree in Law with Human Rights as a major from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences. She has special interest in politics and human rights developments in particular in South Asia and South Asians living around the globe.

Will India-Pakistan Go For A Nuclear War?

"No" is the simple answer to the subject question. Even with the ultra nationalism and right wing war jingoism currently prevailing in India and Pakistani militant groups ready to draw blood over Kashmir in Pakistan while both countries nuclear arsenals are targeted at each others, the answer is no.

Although the Pakistani PM Mr Imran Khan, warned that a slight miscalculation can bring about a nuclear catastrophe in South Asia while PM Modi in India is using military jingoism to garner much  needed political support for his party in the upcoming elections, the fact remains that both the countries basically comprises of people who are pragmatic in nature by race and belong to the same descent. Indians intelligentsia follow the philosophies of Chankiya in state dealing and international relations. While Chankiya himself taught violence as an instrument of statecraft, but he too advocated and taught his disciples to back off before the existence of own state becomes at peril. So essentially, what India is doing and continue to do so is its typical bullying in the region in order for Pakistan to back off from supporting the Kashmir insurgency. If history is of any value, we all know that Pakistan wont be impressed by this Indian stance and will continue to remain defiant against such Indian posturing, while striking back as they did, all the while keeping up their nuclear guard.

With the modern research, we all know, that an India Pakistan nuclear war will affect the entire world. The global ramifications of a nuclear showdown in South Asia coupled with the Capitalist world investments in India and the Chinese investments in Pakistan, It is in the intrest of all the world powers as they stand not to allow the situation to escalate towards a nuclear war in South Asia. 

Having said that, the question arises: keeping the Modi style chest beating and Pakistani Mullahcracy influences in view, what if the local leadership falters?.  

Such an eventuality where the local leadership may falter can only come forth if global world order melts down, which will in any case bring about a much bigger and graver global catastrophe, having an impact on the entire world security otherwise. Till such time an eventuality like that happens(God forbid) , the World powers wont let the local leaderships to falter for their own sake, hence, maintaining the delicate peace in place at South Asia, refraining the hostilities in the region to escalate into a Nuclear Armageddon.

Kashmir remains an unfinished agenda of the partition of the the sub-continent since 1947. It is the major bone of contention between India and Pakistan thorny relationship. Both countries have fought no less than three wars over Kashmir Valley. 

 Kashmir is no Palestine. Kashmir is having a nuclear power standing in its direct support that is  Pakistan. Ultimately, Kashmir issue will have to be resolved between India and Pakistan. By opening up Indian administered Kashmir to the world like Pakistani administered Kashmir, even under its current status, would work to dissolve the Kashmir insurgency as it stands. It will further pave way for a more permanent solution for Kashmir. The efforts of Modi Govt to change the demography of Kashmir under the Israeli model in Palestine wont materialize. Such an ignominious venture will only provide fuel to the insurgency in Kashmir. This realization also exists among the world powers now, that a solution of the Kashmir issue is paramount for the sake of global peace and security.

There is no better way to conclude this article but by sharing the following crude caricature, identifying the mighty in size India compared to smaller Pakistan, but both having a nuclear arsenal directed at each other creating a catch 22 situation for both parties,stopping them short of pulling the trigger...

  SIMPLY WHY THERE IS NO CHANCE OF AN ACTUAL NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN BETWEEN  INDIA AND PAKISTAN

                   

Pakistan See America as Friend Not Master

Using Pakistan as a scapegoat for their failure in Afghanistan has become a habit for the American administration. Their trillion dollar defeat is a reason for great embarrassment for them and Donald Trump is no different from his predecessors where the blame game is concerned. Trump in his anti-media stance, repeatedly tries to find excuses when faced with questions about his erratic behaviour and the countries repeated failures in their Middle East and Asia policies. 

America has lost the war in Afghanistan and it is no secret. The once rag-tag militia, the Taliban which the Americans themselves created with Pakistan, have made the mighty US look weak in Afghanistan in the same way they did to the USSR between 1979 and 1989. The tables have been turned on the Americans.

The Russians are now in negotiations with the Taliban, who were once their sworn enemies, to stabilize the region by accepting their legitimate share in power in Afghanistan. Americans are seemingly not on board, but there is little they can do to avoid the inevitable. The Taliban are there in Afghanistan to stay. And the only way the Taliban will accept peace in Afghanistan is if the US will withdraw from Afghanistan completely and vacate the military bases that they are occupying. US/NATO has no problem with that but want to retain at least a single US/NATO troops base in Afghanistan.

It is a fact that the USA with all its military and financial might is unable to win the war they had started in Afghanistan. For all the financial losses of a trillion dollars, the American casualties of the Afghan war are only casually mentioned. 

The American people are rightly fed up. Americans may blame Pakistan for providing logistical support to the Taliban, but the fact remains that, Pakistan acted in her national interest in a world where the USA is no more the sole super-power. 

The country is fast loosing clout in the Asia pacific in particular. The oil wars in Iraq on the false narrative of WMD have only benefited the western mega corporations, but they came at the cost of political instability in the Middle East and Asia, creating gaps in the American influence in the region. This scenario has brought forth regional alliances, led by Russia and China to fill the gaps left behind due to the US led failure in the Middle East.  

Pakistan's prefererence of their neighborhood alliances of China and Russia over Trumps bullying tactics of subservience. Any intelligent American should be able to realize that up until their country has significant dealings and comradeship with India, a sworn enemy of Pakistan, the Pakistani's would only logically find it in their national interest to side with China and Russia.

Pakistan once helped America and the west to defeat the spread of USSR in Afghanistan. It was jointly in the national interest of Pakistan and combined Western bloc to not allow the USSR to reach the warm waters of the Arabian sea, directly connecting the USSR with the oil rich Middle East. Due to those events andPakistan's participation, Pakistan became the last frontier of the war between Capitalism and Communism also known as the Cold War.

Pakistan fought and won that war for the entire free world as the last line of defense against Communism taking over the world. It was made possible with the American support (which made America the sole super-power of the world) and due to the fighting prowess of the militia they created to fight USSR in Afghanistan, now known as the Taliban. The same Taliban refused to accept the American narrative post 9/11 and choose to fight a prolonged gorilla war with the American led invasion of Afghanistan.

Pakistan sided with the Americans again in this war under pressure from its traditional allies in Washington, however stopped short of targeting those Afghan Taliban who in turn had decided not to attack the state of Pakistan for reasons closer to home, including their own families that were residing in Pakistan. 

Pakistan had enough of their own problems without the Pakistani Taliban taking on the country for siding with the Americans in the global war on terror (GWOT) Pakistan lost billions of dollars and thousands of its people including military and civilian citizens in this bloody war within, fought as part of the US led GWOT. 

Pakistan only felt it pragmatic not to take upon their enemies like the Afghan Taliban, firstly because they already had their hands full, and secondly because they did not want to lose strategic influence in Afghanistan which now had a hostile government in Kabul, influenced by the US led Western alliance after overthrowing the Taliban government there. Pakistan was again proven right for taking this stance, since the American backed government in Kabul is now visibly more inclined towards New Delhi than Islamabad.  

The situation is now playing out in a way that the Taliban are in negotiations with Russia and China, facilitated by Pakistan to bring an end to the war in Afghanistan, which is critical for the regional stability. However, the only pre-condition of such peace to take place is for the US/NATO forces to unilaterally withdraw for Afghanistan. 

The USA/EU is obviously not in favour of such a peace accord in which they will have to lose not only face but also influence, to Russia and China. Having said that, what the US/Western camp fails to appreciate is that they are meddling in the very backyard of Russia and China. There is but only a limit to which the US/West can sustain their already dwindling presence and influence in Afghanistan. 

Traditionally the geo-strategic position of Pakistan combined with a strong nuclear armed military which has already defeated the insurgency within Pakistan, holds the key to facilitate the end game in Afghanistan.

Once again Afghanistan is at the forefront and is witnessing the fall of another great empire on its tough terrain and again it is up to Pakistan to show a mirror to the USA, like it once did to the USSR. 

The world has finally moved from the sole superpower world order to yet again a multi-polar world order.

                                              

Peace is the only Logical Way forward.             

Renegotiating of CPEC by Pakistan Govt

There is a wind of positive change and optimistic horizons being projected these days in Pakistan by the educated and patriotic class who supports Imran Khan, who is successful in making his government in the country. One of the very first actions he took as the Prime Minister of the country having the unprecedented, unconditional support of the powerful Armed Forces of the country which has ruled Pakistan for the majority of its creation, is to revisit all the mega contracts made by the previous government, shrouded in the clout of secrecy. Prime Minister Imran Khan or #PMIK as he is affectionately called, announced that not only they will renegotiate the mega international agreements like CPEC(China Pakistan Economic Corridor), but also make the details of these agreements public. It might have caused quite a stir among the investors in particular the Chinese Government, who is the principal investor in the project as such, but, Mr Khans Govt made it clear to everyone that all such contracts will have to be renegotiated keeping the interest of Pakistani public foremost, which has not been the case previously. The existing agreements were made by the Sharif brothers keeping in view their personal business interests and those of their supporters before Pakistani national interests. Because of the said conflict of interests the Nawaz League Govt signed the CPEC contracts on weak footings. It must be mentioned that the Pakistani economic isolation also played its part in subjugating the previous Govt under Beijing. However, rampant corruption at the highest levels in the previous Govt is the essential cause of the said renegotiation.

Before proceeding further, let us clarify the ambiguity about the renegotiation being illegal as such. It may be noted that, all such mega contracts spread over decades, can be renegotiated any time, by any side/party, as and when ground conditions clash with the paper clauses of the agreement. Having said that, in this case the terms of the CPEC agreements are reportedly highly unfair to Pakistan, which the previous Govt accepted firstly because of their own individual vested interests and secondly because they felt, they were under international economic isolation, with the Chinese offering the only way out, so they took the deal on their terms.

So what changed in Pakistan, which warrants such a renegotiation?. Honest leadership serving the national interests of the country is that change which require such an appraisal. Beside, the secret deal made by the previous govt under said circumstances will lead Pakistan into a debt trap where the country will be eventually forced to surrender strategic assets like ports and communication infrastructure to the Chinese side eventually.

Pakistan must not sell for any less, as our Chinese friends are also all about keeping business as business and cup of tea as cup of tea.

The Chinese partners may well be investing the major portion of the CPEC investments, but the entire model has to be workable and favourable for the host country that is Pakistan. It must be understood that the Pakistanis need the CPEC infrastructure projects as much as the Chinese, who want to control the entire regional trade with CPEC as its pivot. Pakistan must not sell for any less, as our Chinese friends are also all about keeping business as business and cup of tea as cup of tea.

The success of CPEC will most certainly decide the status of the Chinese Peoples Republic as the global number ONE power house as against the United States of America. The failure of CPEC God forbid, will not only devastate the Pakistani economy but would also mean the death of the Chinese "1 trillion US dollar" dream of the One Belt One Road(OBOR) project of global economic dominance.

The USA has launched an all out effort in partnership with India to somehow jeopardize the CPEC project. However, this unholy effort is most likely to fail due to Geo-strategical position of Pakistan viz a viz a strong nuclear armed military and the economic and military clout of the Chinese. It does however, provides Pakistan with an option to look the other way if the Chinese partners in CPEC do not make an honest deal with Pakistan regards CPEC which benefits Pakistan in the long run as well as China.

The end state in the near future looks like a settlement of terms and continued fast pace development of CPEC. This would leave the USA no other choice but to compromise and become partners in the mega economic venture called CPEC and OBOR. This would bring India into her senses forcing them to plead Pakistan and China in order to join the CPEC-OBOR project. It would only bring peace and stability through economic integration and poverty alleviation in the most populated region of the world.

 It is finally the time for the Chinese to prove their age old slogan of Sino-Pak friendship which is supposed to be deeper than the oceans and sweeter than honey

It is finally the time for the Chinese to prove their age old slogan of Sino-Pak friendship which is supposed to be deeper than the oceans and sweeter than honey. Its time to prove that China is a friend to Pakistan before being a business partner.         

Why Did The Military Establishment Help Imran Khan?

Imran Khan is widely seen as a messiah by the burgeoning youth of Pakistan who holds the miracle to take them out of poverty and provide them with jobs

This article represents the official narrative of the Pakistani military establishment, as narrated by the Director General of the Inter Services Intelligence, in a meeting with the writer:

Idealism aside, let us ascertain some ground facts which are well established in Pakistan, before answering the subject question :-

1- Nawaz Sharif made billions of USD acquired through systematic white collar crimes commissioned while he held power in Pakistan as the Chief Minister of Punjab and Prime Minister of Pakistan. Through this ill gotten wealth his sons acquired multi million pounds properties in the UK. He was kicked out of power by General Musharraf and pardoned off his crimes because the military dictator wanted to legitimize his rule. More than a decade later, Nawaz Sharif ultimately came back and regained power, but this time around decided to show the all powerful military as to who is the BOSS. However, with the kinds of skeletons the BOSS had hidden in his cabinet, the military establishment refused to take him seriously. Upon this, the advisors of Nawaz led by his wannabe next Benazir, daughter Maryam, initiated a campaign on social and mainstream media to malign the reputation of the military in Pakistan. The military got further estranged and decided to show Nawaz Sharif the mirror hung on the wall made by the bricks of gold acquired through decades of corruption and plunder in Pakistan. Nawaz would not have budged even then, but the global exposure through PANAMA PAPERS after WIKILEAKS brought his tall claims of honesty to ground. Imran Khan, as a result got the opportunity of his life time and took Nawaz Sharif to court over the charges of corruption as levelled in the PANAMA PAPERS. The military which was already infuriated by the funny behavior of Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, just had to tell the Judges, that their security will be ensured if they decided to judge Nawaz Sharif on merit. The rest is on historic record.

2- Irrespective of Nawaz and his daughter becoming convicted criminals and put behind bars, his brother Shahbaz held power in the biggest and richest province of Pakistan, that's Punjab. Nawaz Sharif still held the ace cards in his hands with his party ruling both Punjab and the central government in Pakistan. They choose the key appointments who had to conduct the elections 2018 themselves leaving little to no room for election rigging on the polling day in Pakistan.

3- Pakistan is essentially a tribal society where majority of power is held by the feudal lords specially in the rural areas. These feudal lords always side with the governing party in Pakistan to stay relevant. They follow the advise of the military establishment who are the strongest power broker in Pakistan holding the dominant share in the power dynamics of the country having ruled Pakistan for majority of its independent history.

4- Imran Khan due to his celebrity status is the hope and source of aspiration for the desperate for change, burgeoning youth of Pakistan who forms 60% of the vote bank in country. However, what these dominant youth cult following don't know or wish to acknowledge is that Imran Khan failed to reign in corruption of his party members who are chip from the same old block in Pakistan. Besides the fact that he is reportedly a drugs addict and can not operate without the cocaine he is used to since decades.

5- Military establishment of Pakistan is not ruled by dynasties or a permanent chair, but those in charge come up, through a strictly merit based system which is open for all Pakistanis without any prejudice unlike the case in politics. Also the bosses in the military establishment has to retire permanently after a prescribed time period unlike politics. They are a collation of patriotic Pakistanis who have pledged their lives for the country and supreme national interest. Having said that, the same system is at times misused by those at the top and exploited to attain personal benefits.

6- Like all powerful countries in the world, in particular the USA, military establishment of Pakistan possesses an intricate system to collect and analyze information regards domestic and foreign matters having an impact on the national interest. Owing to the international non acceptance of military dictatorships and its economic ramifications, after the Musharraf era, the Pakistani military bosses decided in principal not to carry out another coup, until and unless forced by actual circumstances as per the constitution of Pakistan. There is a consensus among all ranks of the Pakistani military establishment that the continuation of the democratic process is the only way forward for Pakistan for the sake of her people and their prosperity. In the absence of strong institutions but the military establishment still holds the role of the power broker in the country for the sake of her stability upon which the economies of modern nation states are based upon.

7- With Nawaz Sharif loosing his credibility and hell bent to destroy the repute of the military which is sacrificing their lives on daily basis in a terrorism infested country, the military establishment was apparently left with no other choice but forced to tell the feudal lords in their established role as the power brokers in the country to either join the opposition party of Imran khan who is definitely seen as a messiah by the youth of the country waiting for a miracle to happen and change their lives or contest the elections as independent candidates leaving Nawaz Sharif and his party to themselves. Without the support of traditional winning horses Nawaz was bound to loose the race.


    That's what exactly transpired on the election day, which resulted in a win for Imran Khan.

    For the sake of stability and economic prosperity of Pakistan, Imran Khan is thus likely to be supported and obeyed by the military establishment till such time he delivers upon his promises and is able to reign in his team, making them perform and keep a check on his own addictions.          

How India Is Loosing War In Kashmir

Srinagar, Indian Held Kashmir, 16 March 2018, A Pakistani flag being wrapped and waved during the funereal prayers of two suspected Kashmiri militant martyred by the Indian forces

Once Pervez Musharraf was made to take a U-turn on the Pakistani decades old policy of sponsoring insurgency in Kashmir under the intense US pressure chartered by India as a pre condition to join the US camp in 2004, everyone around the globe thought, the Kashmir freedom struggle is over for good.  All the odds back then, favoured India, which diverted its funds and energies free from a bloody conflict towards economic progress, while allocating a meagre portion of these funds, which were still substantial, towards hiring the Taliban ideological mercenaries, who got unemployed as a result of the Pakistani policy U-turn, and employed them to wreck havoc in Pakistan using the friendly Afghan soil post 9/11, giving Pakistan, a taste of its own medicine.

13 years on, irrespective of the immense punishment Pakistan withstood by its Frankenstein monster, not only the Pakistani Armed Forces have marginalised the threat to its homeland, but also kept open the channels with the Afghan Taliban who are fighting the US occupation, all the while forging new alliances with old foes Russia with the help of the Chinese partners, blunting all efforts by the US/Allies to bring India forward in the regional theatre in order to do the dirty work for their US partners. The US led western alliance failed to bring order to Afghanistan on their terms, even after pouring trillions of dollars in the Afghan war effort, and loosing thousands of lives. The USA, but have none else to blame but their own people, whose corporate greed took them to the 'Oil Wars' in Iraq on fabricated perspectives and false narratives, shifting focus from the Afghan war effort and its original idea, which was to defeat Al-Qaeda.

13 years on, on the other hand, the Pakistani flag is fluttering high on every nook and corner of the Indian occupied Kashmir. The Kashmiri resistance is now a full blown, indigenous freedom struggle having the UN resolutions to back it up and an international diaspora supporting the cause. India made the mistake of resolving the Kashmir dispute on the model of Israeli occupation of Palestine. However, the Indians forgot, that the Kashmiris at their side of the border looks across ta the Pakistani side of their divided land. The Pakistani side has the Kashmiris, in it living a privileged life, marked with freedom, autonomy, tax free status and many perks including the right to reserved government jobs, university admissions and buying land all across Pakistan while no Pakistani can buy land in Kashmir or be employed on their state jobs. The list goes on, and this example coupled with the high handed role of the Indian security forces deployed in Kashmir under the notorious armed forces special powers act allowing them to to prosecute and kill the Kashmiris, 'disenfranchised' the Kashmiri youth, who eventually took up arms against the Indian occupation of their lands, marred by rape, torture and murder of the Kashmiris.

The modern day heroes in the Indian occupied Kashmir are the likes of Burhan Wani and his followers. The indigenous freedom struggle is here to stay and grow, which will be augmented by the Indian trouble on their borders with China. All what this freedom struggle requires is an influx of some cheap unmarked Chinese SMGs, which are already held by the new breed of militant youth in Kashmir eager to seek revenge from the Indians, for decades of unabated prosecution.

 The meteoric rise of Modi with an ultra nationalist Hindu agenda in India, only proved as a catalyst for the Kashmiri freedom struggle. Modi and his advisers like Ajit Doval wish to follow Israel, and settle Hindus in Kashmir on the Israeli occupation and land grab model of Palestine. However, the Hindus may be financially compatible with the Jews, but they are no comparison to them when the fight hits the dogs. Beside, no respectable Hindu family would wish to migrate to Kashmir, as its not their 'promised land'.

The Indian security forces are back in action at Kashmir, with a vengeance, killing and blinding the Kashmiri youth who took up rocks and arms against the Indian occupation. The Indian security forces moves as such are only backfiring with a visible mass uprising against the Indian high handedness. The disenfranchised Kashmiri youth have got a death wish. The fidayeen suicide attacks in Indian occupied Kashmir is a new trend in that region fuelled by decades of Indian apartheid which provided motivation for such attacks.

All the while the Pakistan Army is not backing down on the line of control, where Indian tried to bully it by a fabricated 'surgical strike drama', only to be backfired bringing humiliation to India. The Pakistan Army is firing back at the Indian forces with equal audacity and more. The Indians are finding no place safe to walk with their heads high, all across Kashmir. The Indian Army is visibly desperate, as proved most recently when in addition to killing the innocent civilians on the Pakistani line of control they fired directly at the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, who were monitoring the situation after alerting the Indian Army of their activity.

The indigenous Kashmiri freedom struggle will only grow in its nature and intensity on both political and military front under the established circumstances. India has already begun to loose the war it is waging in Kashmir. Its only a matter of time, before India will be brought to its senses.             

Dynamics of Pakistan-Russia Nexus

Pakistan is wooing Russia harder than ever. The most recent speech by the Pakistani foreign minister in the national parliament giving policy statements regards not playing as an American pawn any more is a step in that direction. Pakistan is eagerly mending fences with Moscow which, it estranged four decades ago in association with the USA, fighting a war which torn apart the USSR. Knowing the Russians don't forget easily, Pakistanis are willing to take what all it does to cosy up with the Russians and forge an alliance based on genuine interests with an appeal arising from 'heart to heart', making the Russians go beyond the formalities and warm up to Islamabad.

Pakistanis trusted Chinese financiers and friends are all but on board. The great game is being replayed, with the war torn Afghanistan still as its board. Old friends are now foes and vice versa. The major hurdle in this bilateral relationship between Russia and Pakistan was the staunch opposition by India, which 'was' the biggest arms buyer of Russia. But with India embracing the USA and chartering the Indo-Us alliance, Russians are finally getting out of the Indian pressure tactics and are warming up to Pakistan.

The practical manifestation of the Russian intentions and on ground vital visibility of growing Pak-Russo alliance took to shape quite recently. Moscow, in an irreversible move, stabbing India rite in the heart, put a show where the Pakistani Baloch separatist leaders living in Moscow since decades on political asylum were made to take a take a U-turn on Anti Pakistani federation movement. They announced to support the Pakistani state in its efforts to develop Pakistan in accordance with the Chinese CPEC/OBOR plan which pivots around the Pakistani province of Baluchistan. These ex separatist leaders shunned the Indian role in de-stabilising Pakistan and vowed to work with the Pakistani federation. It binned six decades of Indian intelligence efforts in which huge amounts of funds were invested.

All the signs are visible on ground as to what direction this alliance is going. It is all but bad news for the Indo-US interests in the mineral rich Central Asian region. The US troops surge in Afghanistan announced by President Trump won't help the US led western designs with India on board, but will only provide more targets to the Taliban in Afghanistan to hit at. The rise of ISIS in Afghanistan and their confrontation with the Taliban over grasping power can be seen in that context as a US intelligence effort to kill two birds with one stone. US is looking or hoping to contain both Russia and Taliban in Afghanistan by ISIS, a force, which was anyways created by the US/Israeli actions in the middle east. However, the Russians saw it coming beforehand and established intelligence ties with the Afghan Taliban utilising the age old Pakistani connections. The Russians have learned their lesson well after the breakage of USSR to had been caught unaware this time around. While the Pakistanis are experienced in playing this diabolical game like Russia, making it a natural alliance.

What the US led camp refuses to appreciate playing this great game is the geo-strategic realities on ground in Afghanistan. The land locked country is bordered by opposing players with different national interests then those of Washington/Western camp. Till such time, the US camp remain stubborn to the idea of power sharing in the region, unfortunately the game will be continued to be played at the cost of blood and misery of the innocent.

  

        

The Psyche of Pakistani Islamist Extremism in South Asia

Pakistani Islamist extremism is essentially born out of the reactionary radicalism or countermeasures to the Hindu ultranationalists agenda in the sub-continent. Cold war may have played a pivotal role in arming Pakistan and making it a gateway to the Afghan made global narco-economy, but it's still not the root cause of the resident militant extremism in the mainstream Pakistani society. It is, but most definitely, the threat and designs of the Hindu ultranationalist in India which formed this psyche behind Pakistani hardline stance to willingly or subconsciously support militancy against Indian designs in the region.

There may well be a realisation among the Pakistani population that this centuries old blood vendetta is hurting Pakistan much more than her supposed enemies. However, the continued aggressive attitude by the Hindu ultra nationalists, now led by Modi in India, against the Muslims of India and Pakistan fuels this stated psyche of extremism in Pakistan using the Islamic religious sentiments and ideologies.

Leaders from both sides of the nuclear armed neighbourhood having fought three all out, beside many proxy wars, do realize this entire situation. But the political dividends by exploiting this situation on both sides, more so in India for the politicians and clergymen are so humongous that, there is almost no hope in sight for any conflict resolution on state to state level at least.

The partition of India was made possible due to this same sadistic attitude of the majority Hindu population, which has only gone worse in the proceeding seven decades of independence. While Modi in India most recently played the Pakistan card yet again as the 'bogeyman' to scare the voters in Gujarat state elections to vote for his Hindu nationalist ruling party, Pakistanis believe it was the Indian direct involvement which caused the Peshawar School massacre of 16 december 2014.

You can't really blame the Pakistanis, who seek revenge from India in the face of the public speeches by Indian leaders. Mr Ajit Doval is one such example who is the Indian national security advisor caught on tape lecturing university students as to how to play havoc in Pakistan by hiring the 'Taliban' mercenaries from Afghanistan to destabilize Pakistan.

Pakistanis with the pragmatic mindset do realize that, it is a taste of their own medicine they are having from India especially once they themselves directly supported the insurgency in the Indian Kashmir, before taking a complete U-turn in 2004 by the Musharraf regime under severe US pressure. Having said that, time has proved that the Musharraf regime critically undersold and abandoned the Pakistani Kashmir insurgency support mechanism in haste. Musharraf needed to ensure decommissioning the 'Jihadi network' working in Indian Kashmir. He, not only failed to do this, but also over trusted his agreements made with Indian nationalist government led by Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Musharraf thought that by unilaterality reversing the Kashmir policy of Pakistan he would somehow make history and solve the 'Kashmir dispute', for once and all. Now only heavens know that, was it? the good vine or women Musharraf enjoyed in India or any substantial agreement which made him unintentionally throw Pakistan in the maze of fighting home grown militancy in which Pakistan struggles to find way till date (Please read:    https://whatholdsthefuture.blogspot.com/2013/04/case-study-impact-of-musharrafs-kashmir.html  )

Pakistanis are forced till date to maintain and support India centric militant groups, due to the rise of Hindu ultranationalist mindset in India ( Please read :      https://whatholdsthefuture.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-rise-of-hindu-fundamentalist.html ) . The situation has only worsened by the Indo-US strategic partnership to counter the rise of China in the region ( In this connection, you may like to read:  https://whatholdsthefuture.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-game-of-wits-us-measures-to-counter.html ) .

In this dog eats dog rat race of a world we live in, one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist if the 'other' controls the mainstream media machine. And it is no secret that the Indo-US mainstream media machine control and the global opinion forging capability is far superior than that of Pakistan and China combined for now. So Pakistani Islamist Extremism is here to stay and grow large in direct proportion to the Indian ultranationalism and hegemonic designs for the region, especially in the US partnership.

Having said that, Indo-US partnership won't ever be able to achieve its ultimate objective which is to break Pakistan since both partners know it means 'nuclear catastrophe'. China is also standing firmly behind Pakistan in that area, by calling Pakistan its strategic partner just as Israel is to the USA.

Although, peace is the only logical way forward, but as and where we stand now, peace doesn't sell and suit Indo-US designs, while war is still selling like hot cake in Modi's India alongside Trump's America.
        

            

China-Pakistan-Russia Military Alliance-Strategic Realignment of Pakistan-II

The USA in another bet on it's Indian pet bulldog to check the flight of the Chinese dragon has declared the Chinese OBOR project passing through disputed territories. To be specific, the Indo-US move is directed at the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Keeping the historic debate aside, the US proclamations and it's loud mouthed propagation by the Indian 'mouthpiece' power, simply does not bother either China or Pakistan a bit. The CPEC project will continue without any hindrance, as Pakistan effectively controls the route since 1947 and the ground situation completely favours China.

India is desperately trying to stir trouble in Pakistan by funding an insurgency in Baluchistan, essentially using the Afghan soil and trying to exploit the political situation in Pakistan. However, what India and her sugar daddy in Washington fails to appreciates is, that the CPEC project, they are frantically opposing was in fact initiated well before they ever imagined.

If Pakistan was playing both sides in Afghanistan, the USA was doing the same with strategically aligning with the Pakistani arch rivals India. 

The Pakistanis appreciated more then a decade ago that the US will not be able to win its war in Afghanistan, due to the USA's lack of understanding about the region and its twisted tribal politics. At the same time, the Pakistanis knew, that as per precedent, the US will look for a scapegoat to blame her failures and the top choice will be obviously Pakistan itself. The Indian moves in Afghanistan and the Indo-US strategic deal including the civilian nuclear energy deal were omens enough for the Pakistanis for the times to come. If Pakistan was playing both sides in Afghanistan, the USA was doing the same with strategically aligning with the Pakistani arch rivals India.

Under these circumstances, while General Pervez Musharraf was ruling Pakistan, he dispatched his, senior most commander, General Ehsan ul Haq, to Beijing. He took the Pakistani strategic proposal to the Communist leadership of China having deep rooted socio-economic implications for the entire region.

 After due diligence, the Pakistani government and the Chinese leadership struck the strategic deal to counter the Indo-US alliance in the region, which is now known as CPEC. Pakistani security establishment gave the guarantee to see this strategic deal to its rightful end, against the Chinese commitment of ownership of the project irrespective of any change in government/regime in Pakistan.                 

The Pakistani security establishment was holding total power back in those days (around 2004) under General Pervez Musharraf. After due diligence, the Pakistani government and the Chinese leadership struck the strategic deal to counter the Indo-US alliance in the region, which is now known as CPEC. Pakistani security establishment gave the guarantee to see this strategic deal to its rightful end, against the Chinese commitment of ownership of the project irrespective of any change in government/regime in Pakistan. This is the essential reason as to why the Chinese determination and investments regards CPEC and commitment to the alliance with Pakistan remains unhindered irrespective of all odds as it may seem from time to time.

Russians Troops Being Welcomed In Pakistan For Joint Training Exercises

Subsequent to the ongoing mega economic developments regards Chinese OBOR projects which is spearheaded by the CPEC, Pakistan is now actively engaged in establishing its military alliance with Russia after China. The Pakistani security establishment quietly and successfully worked for around a decade to break the ice with Russia, which it helped defeat in the 'cold war' as an ally of the USA.

 The way USA abandoned Pakistan in post 'cold war' era to face the blow-back of that war where Pakistan was a front-line state, the Pakistanis always knew never to trust the USA, in particular siding against the Russians ever again. With the Indians influence wearing out in Moscow due to their strategic partnership with the US, Pakistan succeeded in making a substantial military alliance with the Russians. Pakistani security establishment successfully secured not only a formidable military alliance but found an alternative source of advanced weaponry in the shape of its fast developing military ties with Russia and rapidly deteriorating relationship with the USA(Pakistan's major weapon's supplier in the past).

Pakistani-Russian Special Forces Joint Training Being Conducted In Russia

Presently, vast numbers of Pakistani special forces, Aviation and Air force officers, besides other military personals from wide disciplines are stationed in Russia for joint training and liaison activities. It is definitely not a coincidence, but culmination of a well thought out plan in forming of this China-Pakistan-Russia(CPR) military alliance. This nuclear armed military trio has all the formidable elements to give stomach cramps to all its opponents. Together CPR military alliance compliments each other where one's deficiencies are filled by another and vice versa. They have it all, what it really takes, with the Chinese money, Russian military technology and the Pakistani counter-insurgency experience and geo-strategic location to provide access to the 'warm waters' to her allies in the region.

Top Military Brass of China-Pakistan-Russia Witnessing Joint Military Training Exercises At China In Recent Past

Sooner or later, the US will have to come to terms with the CPR strategic alliance and share the bounty in the mineral rich region, whether India likes it or not. Best way would be, for the USA and her allies to see sense and partner in sharing prosperity through peace in the region. However, history of mankind, and in particular that of the US being run by her greedy corporations tells us otherwise. The USA and her allies, may learn their lesson the hard way, that the central Asian region is a tough nut to crack, which may well break their teeth, if they continue to bite hard. EU states in particular the UK, would be better off to engage the CPR alliance through already well established trade channels to best serve respective national interests. In the context of Euro-Asian trade and security it is only a logical recommendation, since Turkey is already almost aligned with the CPR alliance. As for the Indo-US alliance and its friction with the CPR alliance, it would continue, while the US will increasingly try to use India to do her dirty laundry in the region. Having said all that, when it comes to the ground realities, the Indo-US alliance simply lacks the capacity to sustain the opposition towards the CPR alliance in the long term.

Winners in this game will be determined, by the  capacity of players who have the abilities to understand the complex dynamics of the CPR alliance and align with it by embedding within all these three countries using peaceful but sound business strategies.    

                              

Strategic Realignment of Pakistan-Global Impacts

Donald's Trumps latest rhetoric against Pakistan, harboring terrorist and all in his Afghanistan policy speech does not come out as a surprise for anyone at all and is nothing new. America is fast loosing the war in Afghanistan and its an open secret around the world. US government won't ever admit it, hence the favourite scapegoat to put the blame of the shameful defeat is their major non-NATO ally, Pakistan.

USA invaded Afghanistan as a direct consequence of the 9/11 attacks. The aftermath of that tragic incident was manipulated by those who had an advance warning of this calamity. Without doubt, the strongest lobbyist in Washington, that is Israel(AIPAC) knew and carefully planned to globally benefit from the tragic events of 9/11  ( https://whatholdsthefuture.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/rise-of-zionist-empire-how-israel.html ).

The US government in post 9/11 scenario, was heavily lobbied by the Indians with Israelis in their direct support to put India as a regional counterweight to the inevitable rise of the 'Red Empire' in Asia. It was only natural for the USA to go to bed with India and try putting a barrier to the rising influence of China in her home region. India, aspires to become a regional power but can't take on China at one side and Pakistan on the other, which are both strongly allied nuclear armed states like her.

While USA is facing defeat in Afghanistan, it is her desire to 'outsource' the region to their puppets, with India in the driving seat of their bandwagon. There is but, few major problems faced by the US government in implementing their policies.

Firstly, Pakistan being immediate neighbour of Afghanistan, foresaw the US defeat based on their established old habit of abandoning the mess they create after meeting the immediate, shortsighted goals. Looks like they never learnt anything from their Brit cousins. So, the Pakistanis took safety measures especially after experiencing the US betrayal first hand in the aftermath of winning the 'Cold War'. The US created and Armed the Mujaheddin in association with Pakistan only to dump them on the later, once they thought, they were of no good use anymore. Pakistan, didn't have that luxury, being located in that region, so, kept their ties with the Frankenstein's monster created by the USA and kept trying to tame it. It definitely doesn't mean that the monster did not haunted Pakistan. Pakistan paid the price and continues to do so, through the blood of thousands of her soldiers and civilians on daily basis. It's a price though, Pakistanis knew they would have to pay for the choices they made. Pakistanis always knew what they were getting into, by taking upon India on Afghan soil which is backed by the USA. The Indians, from the Afghan soil funded the 'international ideological mercenaries a.k.a Pakistani Taliban', who are the rogue third generation mercenaries of 'Afghan Jihad', targeting Pakistan, to give them a taste of their own medicine they had used in Kashmir against the Indian occupation of the region (https://whatholdsthefuture.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/afghanistan-pakistan-standoffindian.html). The Indian national security adviser publicly announced and acknowledged this policy while speaking to university students in India (https://whatholdsthefuture.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/ajit-doval-devils-advocate.html). As a result, Pakistan choose to take upon India in Afghanistan being directly supported there by the US, in a fight for her survival. This also dictated Pakistan to strategically realign it's priorities and prepare for softly divorcing the US led western alliance and join the Sino-Russian camp.

 USA is no more the sole superpower of the world, or possess the power it once had before 9/11. The 'Oil Wars' in the middle east based on 'WMD lies' have weakened the American might drastically

The other major problem with the US policy in Afghanistan is, that the place is the very backyard of China and Russia.  USA simply can not continue to play there and keep bullying the entire region, without expecting retaliation from these regional powers. USA is no more the sole superpower of the world, or possess the power it once had before 9/11. The 'Oil Wars' in the middle east based on 'WMD lies' have weakened the American might drastically. America acquired their sole superpower status after winning the 'Cold War', defeating the USSR in Afghanistan through her proxies, 'Mujaheddin' now known as the 'Afghan Taliban'. That American victory chartered by the 'Mujaheddin' in Afghanistan led to the breaking of the USSR.

Only two decades later not only the same proxy, which won the USA led western capitalist alliance their war against the USSR led communist bloc, is the US/NATO chief enemy in Afghanistan, but, the old socialist enemy of the USA is also back to haunt the western world in the new capitalist attire. Russian bear is all inclined to take back its lost territories and influence, almost after four decades of suffering the humiliating defeat by the USA.

 Chinese investments in Afghanistan have bought them an unprecedented influence in the country. Russia is all on board with China in Afghanistan and both these regional powers are in negotiations with the Taliban, due to kind the courtesy of Pakistani connections with the 'Afghan Taliban', which the Americans are so very critical of.

Pakistani Army played its due role as a US major non NATO ally cooperating with the US and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on ground in Afghanistan. Pakistan also provided key logistical support to the US forces/ISAF in Afghanistan. However, the Pakistani intelligence, skillfully retained but avoided using their influence over the 'Afghan Taliban', while the US wanted to negotiate a deal with them by bullying Pakistan to strong arm the 'Afghan Taliban' into such a deal. Although such a deal would have given the US, some kind of 'face saving exit', from Afghanistan, which was/is in the interest of Pakistan, but  the Pakistani intelligence outfits backed off from brokering any such deal, only after confirming that, such a US deal with the 'Afghan Taliban' would be made by compromising the Pakistani strategic interests superseded by those of India.

  The 'Indo-US' strategic regional alliance plans to counter China's rise in the region and neutralize her influence in Afghanistan and beyond. This also directly jeopardizes the Russian influence in the mineral rich countries of 'Central Asia' with the US eyes affixed on their natural resources. India is hated by Pakistan due to historic reasons, with three wars under the belts of both these countries. There is hence, a natural alignment of strategic interests between, China, Pakistan and Russia. That is where it hurts the US most, to loose Pakistan which is geographically located in a position to make or break both Afghanistan and whomsoever controls Kabul.

It is no coincidence that the Pakistani Armed Forces officers are increasingly being seen in Moscow and visiting Russia regularly while China is like a second home to them now. Russia is providing modern military hardware to Pakistan irrespective of the Indian objections, which is the biggest weapons exporter from Russia, but not for too long. Russia reckons that after the 'Indo-US' strategic alliance, it's only a matter of time that the Indians would be forced to shop their military hardware from the US/West. The 'Indo-US' nuclear and military deals are an omen in that direction, Russia never failed to notice.

Old friends are now foes and vice versa in the interesting times we now live in.  

China-Pakistan-Russia alliance backs the Taliban principle demand, that before any formal negotiations with the Kabul regime, the 'foreign invaders', must leave their soil. Such a move will level the playing fields of Afghanistan and the US allies would loose influence in the region. USA simply can not afford such a scenario, so 'Pentagon' forced President Trump, embattled in a political carnage due to his naive choices, to increase the troops in Afghanistan. He went back on his words and was made to swallow his spit, just like Obama, when he was forced to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan by his Generals in the longest ever war faced by the USA. The difference between Obama and Trump is that Obama did it as a political move, while Trump has been strong armed by his defense establishment to do so.

Pakistan is by far the most viable way to keep the said 'logistical lifeline' alive for the US troops in Afghanistan. The US government, may it be Trump administration or the brass at Pentagon must be careful not to antagonize Pakistan, beyond reproach

The bullying by Trump won't change a thing in Pakistan and her attitude towards Afghanistan. Pakistan knows that it controls the vital logistic support corridors of the US forces in Afghanistan. The other option, which is a much more difficult way and extremely expensive passage, is controlled by Russia. The only other passage, neither developed nor utilized to the land locked country, to provide 'logistical lifeline' to the US military in Afghanistan passes through Iran. Pakistan is by far the most viable way to keep the said 'logistical lifeline' alive for the US troops in Afghanistan. The US government, may it be Trump administration or the brass at Pentagon must be careful not to antagonize Pakistan, beyond reproach.  China is fully backing Pakistan both morally and materially with 50 billion dollar investments in Pakistani infrastructure. The Saudis have pledged their oil and money to the only nuclear armed Islamic country, whose military has pledged to defend their kingdom in the face of an existential threat.

Pakistan is a nuclear armed state and the USA simply does not possess the potential to disarm the Pakistani nuclear arsenal, no matter how much it threatens, shrieks or boasts about doing so. Pakistan visibly, has the capacity and capability to choose its foreign policy

Aforesaid considering, Pakistan silently but surely, over a course of one and a half decade, strategically re-aligned itself away from the USA keeping in view her own supreme national interests. While Pakistan may never completely divorce the US and NATO, the core Pakistani geopolitical and strategic interests are now aligned with those of China and Russia. Pakistan is a nuclear armed state and the USA simply does not possess the potential to disarm the Pakistani nuclear arsenal, no matter how much it threatens, shrieks or boasts about doing so. Pakistan visibly, has the capacity and capability to choose its foreign policy. The financial support accorded to Pakistan by her allies in addition to vast mineral wealth at her disposal coupled with the Geo-strategical location in the globe only adds to the Pakistani strengths.

India will have to make a choice, as to either peacefully co-exist with her neighbours or face a nuclear Armageddon. India won't be allowed to enforce the US centric agenda in the region it is housed, on the behest of her newly found lover sitting safely across seven seas playing her to do its dirty laundry. Peace is the only logical way forward for all stake holders in the Asia Pacific, for this entire region to realize and exploit its economic potential and bring billions of mankind out of poverty. The US and its allies will have to sooner than later realize, that the fires they are fuming in Asia will find its way to their homeland like before. USA will have to stop acting audaciously around the globe as if, it is the sole superpower of the world, which it is not.

As for the vastly unemployed, unskilled population and crumbling economy of America, Trump and his American hawks, now needs to find some way, other than the recruitment and loan-funding of the military-industrial complex which, is waging mindless wars around the world, only benefiting those few at the top of the food chain in the western world. It is however, not possible until and unless US public finds a way around the highly corrupt and manipulated political system governing them being continuously exploited by the vested interests through controlling the US politician's funding by lobbyists like the AIPAC.

Pakistan will continue to exercise its foreign policy independently, irrespective of the US bullying. The Pakistani global diaspora is a force beside its nuclear armed military to deter any misadventure by either the US or India. The US puppet government in Kabul will have to come to terms with the Pakistani position instead of playing as the Indian lackeys and support the funding of the insurgency in tribal areas of Pakistan from the Afghan soil. For Pakistanis will avenge and call upon its debts after the 'foreign invaders' will leave Afghanistan. In any case, the American puppets in Kabul will run away to the western world, sooner or later after finishing their loot of western world's aid money like Karzai and Co did so. Pakistan on the other hand is here to stay and retain the influence in Afghanistan, in partnership with China and Russia, hopefully bringing much awaited relief for that war torn country in the shape of peace and prosperity.