By Nusrat Mirza
Examining the recent situation, it is necessary to express that USA is a thankless friend. Pakistan made it single super Power of the world in 1989 by defeating USSR but he abandoned Pakistan as soon it achieved its goal. In 2019 and 2020, Pakistan helped America in convincing the Taliban to negotiate with the USA resulting in the commencement of the Doha Conference. Again as soon as America was relieved from the Afghan war, America put Pakistan in trouble. The history of sanctions is very long. Sanctions started after the 1965 war, despite Pakistan’s help to America in connecting with China. During General Ayub’s era, Pakistan was progressing well. Our five-year plan was copied by Thailand, South Korea, and many other countries. Pakistan had become an industrialized country. So much so Pakistan launched two Rockets in space Rahber one and two. At that time the Ambassador of the USA had written a letter to the president of the United States of America informing that Pakistan is going to become a major world power. As per the book “ No Exit from Pakistan” written by Daniel S. Markey, the US President ordered to Fix Pakistan, and then 65 war took place. India was a tool of the USA even at that time. Pakistan was under sanction in the 1971 defeat of East Pakistan. Z.A Bhutto at a time was a tool of the USA but when he tried to work for Pakistan to develop relations with USSR and initiated a nuclear program after 1974 when India successfully tested its nuclear bomb in Pokhran. Henry Kissinger when visited India, he overlooked the proliferation against NPT and decided to ensure no one else obtains nuclear capability henceforth. And then Nuclear Supplier Group NSG was formed to ensure that no other country becomes Nuclear. Pakistan took it as Pakistan specific. Bhutto was hanged by the USA through Ziaul Haq who defeated USSR in Afghanistan and Americans admitted that it was Ziaul Haque’s war but his plane crashed after the USA achieved its objective. USSR was blamed for the crash by the USA and even some of the Pakistani leaders in privacy. I was personally told by someone of importance on 6th December 1988 that KGB would like to kill Zialul Haque. His plane had crashed on 17th August 1988. I attended his funeral. It came to my knowledge that some of the Pakistanis linked to the CIA were involved in Zia’s plane crash. Sanctions were again imposed on Pakistan when Pakistan became nuclear in 1984 as told to me by A.Q. Khan. A letter written by A.Q. khan in 1984 to President of Pakistan Gen. Ziaul Haque has seen by me when uranium was enriched to the level of making a bomb. I had a hot exchange of words in Karachi in February 1997 with Michael Kreppon President of The Henry L. Stimson Center Washington D.C. when he blamed Pakistan that it betrayed the USA. My argument was that the USA has a history of betrayal. You are never a friend and you don’t have a friend in the world. America bullies, blackmails, through conspiracy murders the leaders or changes the governments. It was an open discussion. I told him that the USA betrayed Pakistan when USSR was defeated in Afghanistan and US become single Super Power. He replied that the USA helped Pakistan in Afghanistan on the condition that Pakistan will not become nuclear. My rebuttal was that the USA knew that we became nuclear in 1984 why did it still support Pakistan. He was helpless and replied that the USA became single Super Power and Pakistan became nuclear. So both countries have achieved their goals. A few days later in March 1997, another American Professor Mr. Peter M. Lavoy came to Karachi to address Pakistan’s nuclear program. Peter thought that Pakistan’s nuclear program is under the control of the military and the USA would like it to roll back. In 1993, the consul general of the USA at Karachi Richard Folk told me in person that Pakistan has to roll back its nuclear program as the only reason Pakistan was allowed to develop bomb was because the USA was helping Pakistan against USSR. I told him very clearly that it is not possible. Then I informed Chief of Army Staff General Asif Nawaz when we met within three days of meeting with Richard. I also informed Corp Commander Corp V the same and wrote a letter to Benazir Bhutto then Prime Minister of Pakistan and when we met after 15 days I requested her not to accept the pressure of the USA as Richard has told me that now Benazir is in Power and the President of Pakistan also belongs her party so Prime Minister has to accept US demand. He further told me that Pakistan’s troika was not on one page. One or the other rejects the US demands. Richard was friendly to me so I very softly replied “Richard it is not possible and Banazir may not help you as Pakistan is determined to be nuclear including Benazir Bhutto. No compromise on nuclear issue sir.” (This narrated in my Urdu book “Pakistan Azmat ke safar per”) Benazir Bhutto smiled strangely after request like that I was begging. I thought she knows more than me or she is more interested than me to keep Pakistan a nuclear power. But to my great surprise she asked “ Mirza saheb You are so much speaking in favor of nuclear program and writing articles but tell me who will possess the nuclear bomb.” At that time I thought she is out of the program and she is not happy. She said something more but I will not describe.
With Peter Lavoy also the same thing, at least the question why not India? He gave the lame excuse that the Indian program was in the hands of civilians. I again had a bitter exchange of words as I know the psychology of Americans remaining and dealing with them for several years. They think if you are strong then you can talk to us equally otherwise one has to obey the orders of USA. Peter was handled very roughly.(the book Asian Atomic Club by Nusrat Mirza) The message was loud and clear to him that Pakistan is not to roll back the nuclear program. This all happened before 1998, when India tested five nuclear bombs and Pakistan in response tested six nuclear bombs on 28th to 31st May 1998. The sanctions were again imposed. Most of the time Pakistan has remained under sanctions of the United States of America, a thankless friend of Pakistan, and also it will be correct to say that America is not sincere to any country of the world. It can bully, it can destroy but it cannot construct the world. It cannot lead the world with the intentions and objectives it has.
In the case of Afghanistan, Pakistan did its best to help the USA but America is twisting Pakistan’s arms in different ways through IMF, FATF, and other means. But the USA is helping in a way and we are learning to become independent in making our decisions and Pakistan has the resolve to remain a reasonably independent country and choose new friends like China, Russia, Turkey, and others. In arms supply, Pakistan is not looking towards the USA but manufacturing its arms and taking help from China, Russia, and Turkey, or other countries.