Thanks to our foreign policy managers, Pakistan does not have very many international friends, a predicament made worse since 9/11 because of its decision to join the US-led 'war on terror'. Long spells of military rule, loose control over its international borders, its use as conduit for the Afghan narcotics and ever-flourishing human trafficking are some other factors that too negatively affected Pakistan's role as an international player.
But this bleak picture of growing international isolation did not deter China; it continued to treat Pakistan as a friend and an ally with a warm, co-operative strategic relationship firmly in place.
Of late, however, there are reports suggesting that this all-weather friendship, is under threat of subversion. China's ambassador in Islamabad, departing from the norm of keeping differences, if any, always under cover, has spoken of an "unfriendly" force that is trying to disrupt this relationship.
Addressing a news conference on Friday he said: "The Turkestan Islamic Movement...is really sometimes active, very active from your areas, certain provinces. Such forces we never see are happy about our brotherly relations". Ambassador Luo Zhaohui couldn't be more specific, but he thought it diplomatically prudent to remind the host government that certain forces are working "inside" Pakistan which can damage the bilateral relations between Pakistan and China.
Tellingly, the Chinese ambassador openly talked about the threat only a day after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi told the National Assembly that "detractors want to create misunderstandings to weaken our strategic relationship with China."
He had not identified these detractors but the Chinese ambassador did, and it is quite likely that later next week the issue may come up for discussion during the visit here by the Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi. China's concern follows uncovering recently of a plot by a Muslim separatists group in the bordering Xinkiang province to kidnap athletes and officials attending the Olympic 2008 games - almost coincidental to anti-China protests in some European and North American cities when the Olympic Torch passed through them.
Pakistan is obviously perturbed over this development. Foreign Minister Qureshi, both in a briefing at the Foreign Office and then in the National Assembly, has strongly asserted his government's commitment not to let miscreants use Pakistani soil against China.
Given the degree of political support and economic assistance pledged by the Chinese leadership to the Pakistani delegation, led by President Musharraf, there is no reason why Islamabad should not take prompt notice of the Chinese complaint. One may recall former President Ghulam Ishaq Khan's visit to Beijing as chief guest at the Asian Games in 1990 when a terrorist act in Urumqi was blamed on a Pakistani.
A very disturbed president not only made the then Foreign Secretary Sheharyar Khan meet the press at the earliest, which was midnight, to clarify the report, but next day he made a point to tell the Chinese Muslims at Juma prayers that their first and foremost loyalty should be to their country, China. Hopefully our present leadership, as then, is fully conscious of the imperative to keep the bilateral relationship free of doubts and misunderstandings.
So far the Chinese government has borne the pain caused by violent deaths of a number of Chinese citizens on duty in Pakistan at the hands of terrorists and arsonists with patience and forbearance. But those anti-China elements should find safe haven in Pakistan is unacceptable.
The warning by the Chinese ambassador, reluctant though it may appear to be that Xinkiang-based Turkestan Islamic Movement is using Pakistan territory, should be immediately looked into and redressed. But for the seriousness of the situation the Chinese government would not have made such a public disclosure. There is no reason, whatsoever, to lose a time-tested strategic friend by being indifferent to its concerns. Already we are not left with many friends in this otherwise hostile international arena.