Stabilization of Afghanistan is not part of the US policy and it just want to create instability in the Middle East and South Asia as a design to serve its own interests. This was stated by former Foreign Secretary M. Akram Zaki while speaking at a conference titled "15 Years of 9/11 and War on Terror Pakistan-Impact and Future Approaches" organized by Institute of Policy Studies, (IPS) on Thursday.
He said that the US was not interested in stabilising Afghanistan or the region; rather it was promoting "creative instability" in the Middle East and South Asia as a design to serve its own interests and those of Israel and India too. "When China, Afghanistan and Pakistan started tripartite dialogue they became 4th members of it," he said, adding that main purpose of becoming the 4th member of the dialogue was just to sabotage it. Zaki said that the US had announced a new policy in June 2006 namely a policy of the Middle East with an aim to create instability and chaos in the Middle East. "They wanted instability by overthrowing governments," he added.
"I have two 9/11 in my mind-one is directly concerned with Pakistan the passing away of Quaid-e-Azam Ali Jinnah in 1948 and one is the fake 9/11 which was staged under a pre-conceived policy. I want to say that it is not a war against terrorism, it is a war against Islam, Muslim countries and China," he added. He said that the terrorism was actually a child of injustice. "All those who are committing injustice consider any challenge to them as terrorism," he said.
He also quoted Zbigniew Brzenizski's (called as the man behind Obama's policies) words, "it is easier to kill a million people than to control them" while describing the hubristic policies of the US post-9/11. Speakers were of the opinion that General Musharraf was forced to comply with the US demands vis-à-vis the military action in Afghanistan and he was concerned due to India's offer to provide bases to the Nato for the same purpose.
Zameer Akram, former ambassador who was privy to the deal with the US in this regard, informed that Pakistan realised at that time that Taliban regime will not be able to survive the military action led by US and had given assurance to the US that it will support its fight against al Qaeda but not Taliban. He said Pakistan also advised the US against dealing with the Afghan warlords who were responsible for creating all the mess in their country and also the new leadership in Afghanistan should be developed in accordance to the Afghan traditions. "Unfortunately all three points suggested by Pakistan fell on deaf ears," he added.
He said because of flawed US policies Taliban were still thriving and their dependence on Pakistan had decreased to the extent that the latter cannot exercise any influence on them for the peace process anymore. Akram said that there was no forward-looking, futuristic policy planning at the Foreign Office in Pakistan. He also said: "we are not candid enough with ourselves and also with our interlocutors. When we are talking with the Indians or Americans we should tell them what is possible and what is not," he remarked.
He also criticised the inconsistent approach of the Foreign Affairs Ministry while citing various examples. Lieutenant General Asad Durrani (Retd), former DG ISI, while speaking on the occasion said that there was no need for Pakistan to engage its Army in FATA and misadventures like Lal Masjid operation which led to the spread of the war inside the country like a jungle fire. "For me former president Pervez Musharraf decision of carrying out Military operation in South Waziristan in 2004 and Lal Masjid operation was more disastrous as it gave birth to Taliban groups and to the phenomena of suicide bombings in Pakistan," he added.
He, however, admitted that the initial decision of Musharraf to support the US invasion of Afghanistan was a pragmatic one. Speakers also urged for a proactive foreign policy and called for a befitting response to the warmongering of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the declared efforts to isolate Pakistan.