'American trade policy discriminates against Pakistan'
Paying
tribute to Khalid Hasan, Robert Hathaway (Wilson Center) remarked that
the late Pakistani journalist served as a bridge of knowledge for
Pakistanis and Americans in understanding each other’s society.
He told the gathering that Khalid cared deeply about his adopted country
(the United States) and that is why it offended him mightily when his
sources, usually government officials, would not show the courtesy of
returning his calls. He said it frustrated Khalid precisely because he
expected better from America.
“Our frequently cavalier approach toward Pakistan also angered him. For
all his long experience in Washington Khalid never understood how it was
that we so often failed to appreciate either Pakistan’s importance or
its potential,” Robert added.
He recalled that Khalid hated our inability to maintain a consistent
focus on Pakistan. “He deplored ‘loves me, loves me not’ attitude or the
nature of America’s official relationship with Pakistan where one day we
treated Pakistan as an outcast and the next day we viewed it as a close
ally and friend.” Robert mentioned that Khalid scorned our assumption
that the world revolves around American perception, American interests,
and American value judgments.
Expounding his analysis how the US can or cannot help build a better,
more productive and more sustainable partnership with Pakistan, Robert
suggested to the Obama administration that the US needs to balance its
objectives for Pakistan. He said in recent years America was
understandable preoccupied with punishing those who were responsible for
9/11, but this preoccupation obscured our priorities for Pakistan such
as a domestic extremism, building strong political institutions there,
supporting constitutionalism, rule of law, creating a sustainable
economy, fostering peace in the region, etc.
He pointed out that this policy approach goes beyond the Bush
administration because “We have seldom gotten this balance correct.”
His also urged the Obama administration to be aware that inaction
conveys messages just as forcefully as action. “Pakistanis will draw
conclusions about Washington’s position and preferences regardless of
whether the White House or Congress issues strong statements of support
or condemnation, or whether we waffle on issues or we remain absolutely
silent.”
Robert remarked that so far America’s policy toward Pakistan has been to
ignore other things in Pakistan as long as it “was responsive to our
preoccupation of the day.” He said this approach failed the people of
Pakistan who should be our friends and allies in Pakistan.
“We have through inaction encouraged Pakistanis to believe that we care
more about their autocrats than about their democrats,” he mentioned and
remarked it is not a strategy for building a long-term partnership with
Pakistan.
He said if we are serious in our claims that a stable and prosperous
Pakistan is in the American interests then there is nothing we can more
usefully do than to help put Pakistanis to work. He recommended that the
best way to put Pakistan to work is to give duty free treatment to
Pakistan’s textile and leather industries.
“Pakistan has a strong textile industry. Household linens earn most of
the hard currency. Pakistan uses it to buy food and energy. These
industries are the best job creators. One estimate says that one
container full of towels puts 500 Pakistani men and women to work.”
Referring to the trade between the two countries, Robert remarked,
“American trade policy discriminates against Pakistan. .”
“This is isn’t rocket science. Waiving tariffs, reducing tariffs on
towels, shirts and other goods of Pakistanis make could provide a big
boost for urban employment and helping Pakistan’s government cool some
of the social and political tensions in the country,” he remarked and
hoped that at the end of the day it might help strengthen democracy in
Pakistan.
Presenting his final recommendation, Robert Hathaway said as far as
America’s ability to influence events in Pakistan is concerned, we
should have moderate expectations. “I hear a lot of talk about America’s
so-called leverage over Pakistan. I’m not persuaded.”
Analyzing the current situation in Pakistan, Marvin Weinbaum of the
Middle East Institute warned that the deteriorating condition of economy
can unleash popular forces and threaten the public order. As for the
future of the
country, he remarked that Pakistan does not have a quality political
leadership at present and the same cast is repeated over and over.
He pointed out that relations between Indian and Pakistan in the future
will also be a source of concern because it is uncertain that the
rational thinking on both sides will prevail again as it did after the
Mumbai attacks.
Marvin said Khalid Hasan was aware of such scenarios and wrote on them.
He added that though Khalid’s writings were tough but they were not
cynical and his ‘barbs’ in his columns were tinged with humor
He told the gathering that Khalid rightly believed that Pakistanis
understood democracy “but they have so often been disappointed by those
who call themselves democratic and been elected to office.”
Analyzing the possibilities for Pakistan’s future, he remarked that
though the current army chief General Kiyani clearly stated many times
that he wants to follow the politicians’ lead, there is reason to be
uneasy because of the mounting crises as result of the Sharif brothers’
disqualification, governor’s rule in the Punjab province, and the coming
long march.
He said Khalid Hasan was critical of the religious leaders’ hypocrisy in
Pakistan and added that being a Kashmiri he wanted to see a solution to
the Kashmir problem which was suitable to the people of Kashmir instead
of national honor and strategic interests of India or Pakistan.
Talking about the late Khalid Hasan’s expectations, Marvin said he would
have loved to see the following headlines appear in his newspaper and
perhaps would have written the accompanied stories: Constitutional
amendment passed, President stripped of his powers; Parliamentary
supremacy restored; Independent judiciary established; The People’s
Party and Muslim League
move toward meaningful conciliation; Campaign against corruption gains
momentum; and Pakistan and Afghanistan agree that they face a common
enemy in religious extremism and militancy.
Marvin told the gathering that Khalid Hasan would have taken personal
pleasure in seeing the headline ‘PPP [Pakistan People’s Party] finds new
leadership outside the Bhutto family’. He added that such headlines
might seem a stretch at the moment but at least useful to know that what
a country can aspire to and perhaps what it has to achieve if it is
going to have a future
as a modern progressive state.
“Khalid never gave up on Pakistan. For our sake and theirs, neither
should we,” Marvin opined.
Another speaker Shuja Nawaz (Atlantic Council) told the audience about
his long association with the late journalist and said Khalid Hasan was
his mentor. He said he would miss Khalid “With him gone who is going to
tweak the haughty, poseurs, and who will challenge the hypocrites on a
daily basis.”
(Continued)
