Imperatives for economic prosperity and peace

Prime Minister Imran Khan while addressing the ‘Islamabad Security Dialogue’ was right on the money to emphasize that economic prosperity could not be sustained without peace in the neighbourhood. He justifiably felt that it was imperative for India to give Kashmiris their right to self-determination as per the UNSC resolutions and take the first step for creating an enabling environment for moving forward. He also wished for a political settlement in Afghanistan that could lead to sustainable peace, which was a pivotal factor for unlocking the connectivity potential and regional prosperity.

Undoubtedly his vision for peace is premised on lessons learnt from history and a futuristic outlook. Wars and conflicts are always destructive in terms of loss of human lives and a drain on resources which scuttles the ability of countries   engaged in them to change their economic profile and promote the well-being of their people;  a basic responsibility of the state. Peace and security therefore are pivotal to economic development and prosperity. Pakistan and India unfortunately have been locked in a perennial dispute over Kashmir and have also fought three wars. There are millions on both sides of the divide who are living below the poverty line and who are destined to remain deprived of the basic necessities of life if the leadership does not learn from history and resort to course-correction. The responsibility for moving towards that direction surely lies with India which due to her hegemonic designs, use of military might to keep the people under subjugation in defiance of UNSC resolutions, and threatening posture towards Pakistan, remains a serious threat to peace and security in the region. Indian leaders need to realize that they cannot keep the people of Kashmir in shackles for an indefinite period and also cannot browbeat Pakistan through threats as it is also a nuclear power capable of thwarting her aggressive designs and  acting as a stumbling block against her hegemonic ambitions. The continuation of this state of affairs is mutually harmful, and god forbid any clash between the two nuclear powers can have cataclysmic consequences for both of them as well as the region. The only feasible option to avoid those prospects and address issues related to abject poverty is to ensure peaceful co-existence through resolution of disputes through dialogue. History will never forgive Indian leaders if they fail to see the consequences of their actions.

The Prime Minister also wished for a political settlement in Afghanistan that can lead to sustainable peace, which he thought was key to unlocking the connectivity potential and regional prosperity. The role played by Pakistan in facilitating a dialogue between the USA and the Taliban which led to a peace deal between them and in nudging intra-Afghan parleys, surely stemmed from this well-considered conviction and policy option. Pakistan has suffered the most in the war against terror and the fall-out from conflict in Afghanistan, and rightly feels that peace in that country is pivotal to peace in Pakistan.

Pakistan presently is in the grip of economic and political crisis, and the situation demands responsible behavior by the political leaders and political parties by giving preference to national interests rather than indulging in activities designed to destabilize the sitting government and pursuing their narrow political ends. They need to abandon their agitation and engage the government in a dialogue to bring systemic changes in the system of governance and the way we elect our representatives, which is essential to ensure political stability; a catalyst to economic prosperity and national strength

Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in his discourse also reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peace with India, stressing the point that the choice of peace was based on rationality and not the result of any pressure.  He said, “We are ready to improve our environment by resolving all our outstanding issues with our neighbours through dialogue in a dignified and peaceful manner. But for the resumption of peace process or meaningful dialogue, our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, particularly in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Pakistan has learnt from the past to evolve and we are willing to move ahead towards a new future; however, all this is contingent upon reciprocity. Our leadership’s vision is Alhamdullilah transformational in this regard. Despite being one of the most impoverished regions of the world, South Asia ended up spending a lot of money on defence, which naturally happened at the expense of human development. But Pakistan has been one of the few countries, which notwithstanding the rising security challenges, has resisted the temptation of involving itself in an arms race. It was time that synergies were created in South Asia through connectivity, peaceful coexistence and resource sharing to fight hunger, illiteracy and disease instead of fighting each other.“

Apart from dilating on the need for regional peace General Bajwa also made a very pertinent point by saying, “We have realized that unless our own house is in order, nothing good can be expected from outside.” This surely represents a transformation in thinking. No country can really fight the challenges confronting it both on the internal and external front unless there is social harmony and unity, the country is politically stable, has a strong economic base, its military prowess is capable of warding-off  aggressive designs of its enemies and the state institutions operate within their constitutional domains.

It is said that the ability of a country to manage international affairs and to exercise its clout in that regard is determined by its impregnable unity, economic strength and military muscle; also known as the worth of a nation at the global level. International politics is a politics of interests and not principles. The nations which are poor and weak or lack unity simply are not in a position to have their voices heard even if they have a legitimate cause, unless that cause fits into the radar of the big powers. Therefore no person in his right mind can take exception to what General Bajwa has said.

Pakistan presently is in the grip of economic and political crisis, and the situation demands responsible behavior by the political leaders and political parties by giving preference to national interests rather than indulging in activities designed to destabilize the sitting government and pursuing their narrow political ends. They need to abandon their agitation and engage the government in a dialogue to bring systemic changes in the system of governance and the way we elect our representatives, which is essential to ensure political stability; a catalyst to economic prosperity and national strength.