Pakistani politics: US enjoys varying degrees of influence: expert

Professor Emeritus, University of the Punjab, and Defence Analyst Dr Hassan Askari Rizvi said that Pakistan's military and civil authorities maintain multifaceted relations with the United States because of which US enjoys varying degrees of influence on the Pakistani politics.
However, what determines US policy towards any military government in Pakistan are the stability of the regime and US strategic interests at a particular point of time. He expressed these views while presenting his paper on "Civil-Military Relations in Pakistan and the United States" on the Second Annual Conference on Social Sciences organised by Lahore School of Economics (LSE) here on Friday.
The conference focused on the Dynamics of Pakistani Politics: Issues and Challenges. Askari said that US adopted a friendly and co-operative relationship with military regimes of General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf from 1980 onwards and 2001-2002 onwards respectively in order to pursue its agenda against Soviet military intervention in 1979 and advance its counter terrorism agenda in Afghanistan from 2001 onwards.
Further, given the importance of the region around Pakistan for the US, it will cultivate good working relations with any stable government, civil or military. It may express its displeasure on any military take-over in Pakistan in future and may invoke the provisions of Foreign Assistance Act to suspend economic assistance and military sales. However, what determines its policy towards any military government in Pakistan are the stability of the regime and US strategic interests at a particular point of time.
The conference began with the welcome address by the Rector of Lahore School of Economics, Dr Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, he briefed the background to Lahore School's introduction of English and Political Science as a major in the undergraduate programme. The rector's talk was followed by a key note address by Professor Sajjad Naseer, Senior Fellow in the Department of Political Sciences who linked the present complication of the Pakistani political system to the pre-independence era and argued that if the democratic process was given enough time to run smoothly without any interruptions, it will help the political parties to mature with time and will contribute positively towards the future of the Pakistani politics.
Former foreign secretary Shehryar M Khan acting as the chairperson of the conference addressed the audience and focused on the policy issues of Pakistan with its neighbours Afghanistan and India. He suggested that Pakistan should review its policy with the two neighbours in the wake of a regime change in both these countries. The second session of the day was chaired by Shamshad Ahmad Khan former foreign Secretary of Pakistan. The session began with a stimulating paper by Dr Azmat Hayat Khan, the Ex-vice chancellor, University of Peshawar who took into account the Political Dimensions of Pakistan.
He discussed the vital geo-strategic location of Pakistan, which has led it to becoming a focal point in the international politics post 9/11 turn of events. He contended that the real test for the political skill of Pakistani leadership would start when the US withdrawal is complete from Afghanistan.
He debated at length that in order to ensure a change in the present day political thinking we need to break the vicious circle of feudal and religious politics and look towards the developing world, so that we can compete with other nations and find ourselves a respectable position in the community of nations.
Assistant Professor LSE Dr Shoaib Pervez focused his analysis on the India- Pakistan nuclear program. He argued that the India and Pakistan's rationale to tread on a nuclear path involves an equally important socio-cultural perspective in addition to a material calculus based on power and prestige. He further elaborated on the socio-cultural perspective of the nuclear rivalry between these two states.
The session was followed by an interactive session in which the audience comprised of students, researchers and academicians asked well-informed questions from the presenters on their papers. The session was summed up by the discussant Professor Sajjad Naseer and was concluded by Shamshad Ahmad Khan who brought to limelight pertinent areas that could further be explored regarding the external aspects of the Pakistani politics.