International relations refers to the collective interactions of the international community,

which includes individual nations and states, inter-governmental organizations such as the
United Nations, non-governmental organizations like Doctors Without Borders, multinational
corporations, and so forth.
nternational relation is a very !road concept. n modern usage it includes not only relations
!etween states !ut also !etween states and non-state organizations such as churches,
humanitarian relief organizations and multinational corporations, and !etween states and
intergovernmental organizations "#$s%, such as the UN and the &U.
'he concept of international relations on some level is pro!a!ly (uite old, given that humans
have !een esta!lishing governments and communicating with each other for thousands of
years. )owever, many people agree that international relations truly !egan to emerge
around the *+th century, when people started e,ploring the world and interacting with other
governments and cultures. $rganizations like the Dutch &ast ndia company were among
the first multinational corporations, for e,ample, while representatives of various &uropean
governments met with foreign governments to esta!lish trade agreements and to discuss
issues of mutual concern.
'he scope of - should include study of .varied types of groups-nations, states,
governments, peoples, regions, alliances, confederations, international organizations, even
industrial organizations, cultural organizations, religious organization. etc. which are
involved in the conduct of these relations.
$ne of the earlier scholars of international relations, /rofessor 0lfred 1immern had written
!efore the 2econd World War that 3 .nternational -elations . . . . . is clearly not a su!4ect in
the ordinary sense of the word. t does not provide a single coherent !ody of teaching
material . . .. . t is not a single su!4ect !ut a !undle of su!4ects . . . . . of law, economics,
political science, geography, and so on . . . . . .
Why Study IR?
nternational -elations "-%, is closely related with several disciplines. 'hese include )istory,
/olitical 2cience, 5aw, &conomics, and #eography. What is the utility of the study of - as a
separate su!4ect67 8ou know that no country in the World can live in isolation. &ven when
means of transportation and communication were primitive or much less developed than
today, sovereign states did interact with each other. 'hey cooperated at times, and had
fre(uent conflicts which often led to wars. -elations among those states were generally
studied !y )istorians and /olitical 2cientists. Diplomatic )istory was usually studied for
understanding relations among sovereign states.
We are today living in an interdependent state - system. t is essential for all of us to have a
clear idea of what is happening in the world. /olitical events are important, !ut even
economic developments, trade, commerce and activities of actors like multinational
corporations are no less significant. We live in an age of growing international cooperation.
'herefore, not only do the activities of the United Nations and its numerous agencies affect
all the nations and their peoples, !ut regional organizations like the &uropean Union, 2outh
0sian 0ssociation of -egional 9ooperation "200-9%, 0ssociation of 2outh &ast 0sian Nations
"02&0N% and the 6 $rganization of 0frican Unity "$0U% also play important roles in our lives.
nternational terrorism has !een a concern for the humankind and economic institutions like
the World Bank and the World 'rade $rganization "W'$% affect international relations. 'he
study of nternational -elations has therefore !ecome highly useful and enlightening for
students and others alike.
Scope of International Relations
Beginning with the study of law and diplomatic history, the scope of international relations
has steadily e,panded. With growing comple,ity of contacts !etween nations, the study of
international organizations and institutions attracted the attention of scholars. 'he out!reak
of the 2econd World War gave a strong stimulus
to area studies and strategic aspect of foreign policy. 'his led to efforts to understand !etter
the dynamics of national li!eration struggles and anti-colonial movements. 'he foundation
of the United Nations during the war encouraged thinking a!out post-war restructuring of
the relations among nations. 'he study of cooperation !ecame important even as the study
of conflict remained central. 'he immediate aftermath was marked !y a constructive
outlook. 'his is reflected in titles of !ooks like Swords and Ploughshares written !y nis
9laude. New topics like ideology and disarmament assumed unprecedented importance in
the era of cold war. 2o did the system of alliances and regionalism. 9ontemporary
international relations em!race the whole gamut of diplomatic history, international politics,
international organization, international law and area studies. Writing a!out the contents of
international relations, a few decades !ack, /almer /erkins had said that the then
international relations was a study of .the world community in transition.. 'his conclusion is
largely true even today. 'he transition has not reached a terminal point. While the
underlying factors of international relations have not changed, the international environment
has changed and is still changing. 'he state system is undergoing modifications: a
technological revolution h s taken place in a very !ig way: new states of 0sia and; 0frica are
playing increasingly important roles. ndia, in particular, is in a position to assert and take a
rigid stand, as in *<=< on the (uestion of signing the 9omprehensive 'est Ban 'reaty
"9'B'%. 'here is also a .revolution of rising e,pectations.. 'hus, as /almer and /erkins
wrote, .old and new elements must !e interwoven. in the contemporary international
relations. .'he focus is still the nation - state system and inter-state relations: !ut the
actions and interactions of many organizations and groups have also to !e considered.. 'he
scope of international relations at the end of the twentieth century has !ecome very vast
indeed. 'he world has virtually !ecome a .glo!al village., as interdependence of states has
increased manifold. &conomic relations !etween states, the role of international institutions
like the World Bank, nternational >onetary ?und and the World 'rade $rganization today
influences econonlic activity all over the world. 'he United Nations and its various agencies
are engaged in numerous socio-economic and political activities. nternational terrorism is a
cause of serious concern for the human e,istence. >ultinational 9orporations ">N9s%, wlzo
are giant companies operating the world over, are important non-state actors of
international relations. 'hus, the scope of international relations has !ecome vast, and,
!esides intern.at ional politics, it em!races various other inter - 2tate activities as well.
Pakistan's Foreign Policy (all aspects)
@'he foreign policy of a country is in a sense a pro4ection of its internal policies, social,
political and economic.A
(F. M. Muhammad Ayu !han"
/akistan was !orn under inauspicious circumstances. 0s with all other countries, /akistanBs
?oreign /olicy is determined !y the inescapa!le facts of history and of geography and !y
special influences which may !e of transitory nature. n the words of /.0 -eynolds, the
?oreign /olicy is defined as under3-
@'he range of actions taken !y varying sections of the government of a state in its relations
with other !odies similarly acting on the international stage, in order to advance the
national interests.A
?oreign /olicy consists of the e,ternal actions taken !y decision makers with the intention of
achieving long-range goals and short-term o!4ectives. 0ction is constrained !y the perceived
circumstances of the state, which includes its geography, its economy, its demography its
political structure, culture and tradition, its military-strategy situation. But action is taken
with reference to other !odies "states% similarly acting on the international stage, and is
likewise constrained !y their action. 'his may !e called the international environment of
decision-makers.
D&'&->N0N'2 $? /0C2'0NB2 ?$-&#N /$598
.
*. 2ecurity, D. deology E. National nterests F. Diplomacy +. /u!lic $pinion
<. Decision making
PRI#$IP%&S 'F PA!SI(A#)S F'R&I*# P'%I$+
*. 2ecurity D. deology E.National interests F. DGtente and peaceful relations . +. Non
alignment <. 9lose relations with >uslim countries H. 2upport f independence movements
0s a matter of fact, a la any other country, the logically primary influence on foreign policy
of /akistan lies in the goals that policy seeks to achieve. 'hese are normally security,
welfare, and preservation or promotion of values. 'he search for security is perennial. 0ll
foreign policies of all states are !asically influenced !y it. ?or three centuries, for e,ample,
?rench decision Imakers sought to esta!lish ?ranceBs eastern and north-eastern frontier on
the -hine. n the case of /akistan f the main concern of the 9hristian West is containment
of 9hinese 9ommunism, the main concern of >uslim /akistan, is the containment of
militarist and militant )induism. 'he fact remains that /akistan 4ointed the 9&N'$, 2&0'$,
etc in the mid of *=+Js largely to protect her interests against the future aggression of
ndia.
No state is autarkic, or self- sufficient, at least in the only sense that is politically relevant.
&very state can !e economically self-sufficient in the sense that the territory in (uestion
could support some num!er of people at some standard of living. Deficiencies whether of
materials, or food, or markets, or capital, or technical skills, do e,ist and the foreign policy
of a state must endeavor to arrange their supply. /akistanBs earnest involvement in the
international political arena has !een mainly due to the fact that it wanted to make up its
deficiencies in certain fields.
'hird among !asic goals is the desire to preserve or promote values. 2ince /akistan had
come into e,istence in the name of slam hence promotion of cordial and close relationships
with the >uslim states has formed the cardinal principle of /akistanBs foreign policy.
/akistanBs mem!ership of $9 and unswerving support for the 4ust cause of /alestinians
speak volumes a!out our efforts in this connection.
0 9ritical Kiew of /akistanBs ?oreign /olicy and our ?uture 2trategy3
@$ur ?oreign /olicy is one of the friendliness and
goodwill towards all the nations of the world We
do not cherish aggressive designs against any
country or nation. We !elieve in the principle of
honesty and fair play in national and international
dealings. /akistan will never !e found lacking in
upholding principles of the United NationsB 9harter.A
"Luaid-e-0zam, ?e!3 *=FM%
'he perusal of the a!ove passage entails that the @LuaidA wanted /akistan to play a
honora!le role !ased on the principles and norms of nternational 5aw in the arena of
international politics. )owever the study of &,ternal /olicy of /akistan over the last +J years
of independence manifests that /akistanBs geo-political location on the world map and her
strategic vulnera!ility viz-a-viz ndia could not permit her to pursue that independent policy.
-esultantly the foreign /olicy of /akistan has passed through the following several phases of
development, responding to the changing pattern of relationship with the !ig powers.
*. &ra of Neutrality
D. &ra of 0llainces
E. &ra of Bilateralism
F. &ra of Non-alignment
0 critical analysis of the foreign policy pursued in the last half of a century transpires that
/akistanBs ?oreign /olicy has largely revolved around a triangle of ndia , 9hina and the U.2
with the o!4ectives to counter ndia, !efriend 9hina "an enemy of ndia%, and serving the
U.2 interests
F. &ra of Non-alignment
0 critical analysis of the foreign policy pursued in the last half of a century transpires that
/akistanBs ?oreign /olicy has largely revolved around a triangle of ndia, 9hina and the U.2
with the o!4ectives to counter ndia, !efriend 9hina "an enemy of ndia%, and serving the
U.2 interests as in the *=<J, *=H*, *=MJs and in the aftermath of 2ept3 **, or seeking its
involvement through scare scenarios like the Bom!, Drugs and fundamentalism.
'he future strategy of /akistan in its foreign policy must !e a @shift from traditional
diplomacy to economic diplomacy as well as cultural diplomacyA
-elations with distant #odfathers is no su!stitute for !onds in the region of a countryBs
location. /akistan can have the !est relations with the U2, !ut if it loses out in its
neigh!orhood , with hostility form ran and 0fghanistan , distancing from 9entral 0sia and a
cooling off with 9hina , then it would end up undermining its core interests. t is all the
more essential for the success of the foreign policy of /akistan that it has to !e rooted in
domestic !ase which includes political sta!ility, national consensus, sound economy,
effective deterrence and a!ove all, (uality of leadership.
/akistanBs priority should !e a ?oreign /olicy that has no disconnect either with domestic
politics or with regional realities. 0n effective policy re(uires domestic sta!ility and a
national consensus on issues.
'he upshot of the a!ove account is that, the #overnment and people of /akistan should
remain on their guards, for in nternational relations there are neither eternal friends nor
eternal enemies, the only thing eternal is the @National nterestA. 'hus it re(uires that
through deft diplomacy, using innovative and novel means we must strive to promote our
interests and at the same time keep a triangular !alance among the world giants i.e 'he
U.2, 'he 9hina, and the &.U.
Kashmir - Between Hope and
Despair
Posted in Other | 03-Aug-05 | Author: Dieter Farwick
Kashmir's geopolitical environment
It comes close to being a miracle that the Kashmir conflict did not lead in recent years to the fourth war
between Pakistan and India in their short history.
Kashmir is another typical remnant of European colonial power. When Great Britain split former colonial
British India into the two independent states of Pakistan and India along religious lines, a stone of
contention was created: Kashmir. nother problem was created with East Pakistan that was followed
by the creation of an independent Bangladesh in !"#!.
Kashmir is di$ided into three parts % dominated by &hina, India and Pakistan. 'he confrontation has
mainly been between Pakistan and India % who accuse each other of supporting terrorism. In the Indian
part of Kashmir, (),))) people ha$e been killed since !"*".
fourth war has been a$oided due to the +nited ,tates engaging in successful and clandestine arm
twisting behind the scenes in both countries. Impro$ed relations between the +, with Pakistan and India
made it easier to a$oid the outbreak of a fourth war. nother factor of war pre$ention is the working
mutual nuclear deterrence. Both countries know that any ma-or conflict might escalate into a nuclear war
with a so.called /0utually ssured 1estruction.2
In 3))4, the newly elected Indian Prime 0inister 5a-payee started a new peace initiati$e that has been
responded to positi$ely by Pakistani President 0usharraf. 'he reestablishment of diplomatic relations was
a signal for a new phase of d6tente. 'he recent historic meeting of 7 leading 8freedom fighters8 with
India9s Prime 0inister ,ingh in :ew 1elhi was another remarkable milestone.
,ince then, small steps % like reopening air traffic as well as rail and bus lines . created some glimmer of
hope in spite of some /minor2 incidents.
I asked BrigGen;ret<0akni Khan, member of the International d$isory Board of World ,ecurity :etwork
=oundation, to share his $iews with us. >ere is his perception?
The Kashmir issue is beyond any doubt the tragedy of grave concern, which crystallied in the mid-
!0
th
"entury and is li#ely to haunt $eace% on the subcontinent as an intensi&ying malignant
$henomenon'The mere &act that the issue has triggered three wars ma#es it abundantly clear that
unless the con&lict resolution is $ursued to its logical end, the subcontinent will remain a &a(orite resort &or
)eus to rain his (olleys o& thunderbolt*%
@ur /Editor India,2 ,iddhart ,ri$asta$a, wrote?
The Kashmir $roblem can be (iewed &rom two angles + e,ternal and internal* The &ormer is a long term
one with no immediate solution in sight as it in(ol(es Pa#istan and -ndia* The $olitics in both countries will
not allow an easy consensus as Pa#istan wants a re-drawing o& the borders that -ndia will ne(er agree to*
The latter, howe(er, is a more amendable way out + it is to ensure that de(elo$ment ta#es $lace.both in
-ndia and Pa#istan Kashmir/ and reaches the $eo$le thus creating a groundswell o& o$inion against
terrorism as well as ma#ing -ndian Kashmir a $layground to international $osturing*
The future has never been brighter* -ndia and Pa#istan are tal#ing $eace and stic#ing to the agenda
des$ite intense $ressure in the &orm o& cross-border terrorism that -ndia accuses Pa#istan o& $romoting*
0ree and &air elections ha(e ta#en $lace in -ndian Kashmir which gi(es ho$e* 1ltimately, a $olitical
solution will ha(e to be &ound with both -ndia and Pa#istan gi(ing u$ on intransigent $ositions*%
Interesting $iews from both countries.
Aoung academic Bod Catham, at present our /Editor +,2, has done considerable research on Kashmir
while at the Dohns >opkins +ni$ersityEs ,chool of d$anced International ,tudies ;,I,< in Bologna, Italy
and Washington 1.&. >e also gained in$aluable eFperience in the field when he worked last year for a
de$elopment :G@ close to the border between Pakistan and India.
Bod elaborates on the history, the presence and the future of this Kashmir conflict.
We support his recommendation that India and Pakistan should solve this conflict peacefully
step by step.
The common fight against violent operations of etremists on the subcontinent could enhance
mutual trust and confidence by !confidence building measures" that might provide impetus to
tackle the challenging Kashmir problem together.
It would be a relief for the whole world if one of the ma#or conflicts could be struck from the list of
crises and conflicts.
Energy Crisis and Solutions
1. INTRODUCTION
Throughout the world electricity is the most widely used and desirable form of
energy. It is a basic requirement for economic development and for an adequate
standard of living. As a countrys population grows and its economy expands its
demand for electrical energy multiplies. If this demand is not met adequately a
shortage in supply occurs. This
shortage can assume crisis proportions.
Pakistan has been facing an unprecedented energy crisis since the last several years.
The problem becomes severe during the summers. arge numbers of users have to be
disconnected from the energy supply system to prevent overloading the generating
stations !load shedding". #n occasions the urban dwellers had to suffer load shedding
of $%&' hours everyday. (uring the same time rural consumers suffered it for up to )'
hours at a stretch.
Almost two years ago the *hairman +ater and Power Authority !+AP(A" admitted that
his organi,ation could not meet the current demand for electricity. It is surprising
such a senior person took so long to discover this problem. The government talked
about Pakistans supposedly booming economy but failed to understand the need for
meeting the energy needs of the boom. -eneral .usharraf !/" !ex%President" after
becoming *hief 0xecutive used to talk about building dams especially 1alabagh
(am.2ery few power plants have since been set up. The present energy crisis is
totally due to lack of forecasting and planning.
Any power system has 3 ma4or parts5
&. -eneration system
). Transmission system
3. (istribution system
-enerally speaking the ma4or technical causes of the shortfall in the availability of
electrical energy in Pakistan are5
6 Insufficient installed generating capacity.
6 Transmission system unable to transmit the greater load now imposed upon it.
6 -rid 7tations and related equipment unable to carry the load imposed.
6 (istribution 7ystem was built to carry a smaller power and hence unable to cater
to existing demands 8-elling at el &9$$:.
The ma4or management%related causes of the crisis are5
6 .anagement Information 7ystem !.I7" not fully utili,ed.
6 ;ailure to forecast and plan for the future.
6 ;ailure to set up new generating stations in time.
6 <o new Transmission=(istribution networks > grid stations setup.
6 ?nexpectedly rapid growth of load.
2. Present it!ation o" Crisis
A careful examination clearly indicates that although Pakistans installed generating
capacity will increase@ the shortfall will continue to exist 8;ederal Aureau of 7tatistics
&99$:. The government must take steps to overcome this situation.
#.1. $ort ter% sol!tion
#.1.1 &ine losses control
The methodology that will provide immediate relief is the conservation and 4udicious
use of whatever little energy is being produced in the country. The current losses in
the system are )BC of the total power generated. These include losses incurred during
transmission and distribution as well as due to theft. +asteful consumption such as
businesses remaining open till late at night and unnecessarily brightly lit also
contribute to losses. Ay reducing these to &' C we can save up to 3'' .+ of energy.
The government should enforce shutting down businesses and forbidding excessive
and unnecessary lighting during late hours. Doning should be enforced in cities.
.arket ,ones can have their power switched off !load shedding" at scheduled hours.
As a benefit of service +AP(A employees are allowed free use of electrical energy for
their domestic use. This facility has been grossly misused 8;ederal Aureau of 7tatistics
)''):. It is recommended every +AP(A household be given a raise in salary and the
free electricity facility be withdrawn.
#.1.2 I%pro'ing Po(er generating capacity
It is an unfortunate fact that +AP(A and IPPs thermal power plants are running at an
average plant factor of about E' percent. This means they are producing only E'C of
their installed capacity. They are not being used to deliver their full power.
Internationally it is quite usual to have thermal power plants operating at FE to $'
percent plant factor. #perating the power stations at higher plant factors demands
better maintenance procedures there. It is felt that operating the plants at a higher
plant factor will cause them to deliver )' to 3' Cmore energy to the system. This will
alleviate the present shortage to a significant extent. Improving the power plant
factor of the existing plant is far more economical then setting up new power plants.
#.2 )e*i!% Ter% sol!tions
The policy makers of Pakistan talk about making dams and setting up nuclear power
plants but do not understand the importance and benefits of alternate energy
!renewable source of energy" sources such as solar@ windmill energy@ etc. These are
cheap and quick methods for producing electricity. Pakistan is very blessed because
abundant solar energy is available. 7imilarly wind energy is readily available in the
coastal areas and throughout the winter months in Aaluchistan. These energy sources
if tapped can be of great help in reducing the current demand supply gap.
#.2.1 +in* ,nergy
America@ *anada and *hina have invested large sums of money into research and
development in order to obtain maximum energy from wind. +ind power is now the
fastest%growing energy source worldwide 8?7 (epartment of 0nergy )''):. Total
worldwide production of electrical energy from wind is around 3''''.+. -ermany@
with over &)@''' megawatts of wind power at the end of )'')@ leads the world in
generating capacity. 7pain and the ?nited 7tates@ at B@$'' and B@F'' megawatts@ are
second and third. .any predict that@ with the development of more efficient wind
turbines@ wind energy will provide an increasingly large proportion of electrical
production in the ?.7. Tiny (enmark is fourth with )@9'' megawatts@ and India is fifth
with &@F'' megawatts.
Although a score of countries now generate electricity from wind@ a second wave of
ma4or players is coming onto the field@ including the ?nited 1ingdom@ ;rance@ Italy@
Ara,il@ and *hina. Gowever@ land clearing for vast Hwind farmsH may cause concern to
environmentalists.
#.2.2 olar ,nergy
Pakistan has high potential of renewable energy sources. A very large part of the rural
population does not have the facility of electricity because they are either too remote
or it is found too expensive to connect their villages to the national grid station.
Pakistan being in the sunny belt is ideally located to take advantage of solar energy.
This energy sources is widely distributed and abundantly available in the country.
(uring last &E years Pakistan has shown quite encouraging progress in the use of
photovoltaic cells. *urrently electrical power derived from solar energy is being used
is being used in some public parks. These include 1halid bin +aleed Park in Peshawar
and the /ace *ourse Park in /awalpindi. The Public Gealth department has installed
solar water pump for drinking purposes in some parts of the country. Aoth public and
private sector are playing their role in up grading of photovoltaic system in the
country. If this technology is used in large scale commercial production of electricity
the problem of energy shortage can be substantially reduced.
#.#. &ong ter% sol!tion
#.#.1 Coal Potential in Pakistan
Pakistan has the Eth largest coal reserve in the +orld@ amounting to approximately
&$E.&FE billion tones. Thar has largest reserve in the country that is approximately
FE.E billion tones. Pakistan can generate more than &''@''' .+ of electricity for next
3' years if it uses all coal available to it. At present Pakistan generates only '.F9C of
its total electricity from coal 8+AP(A Annual report )''F%'$:. *oal contributes
approximately 39C of the total global primary energy demand. 7hare of coal in total
electricity produced in different countries is
P-.IT-N /.012
U- 342
U. 352
C$ina 512
#.#.2 6y*ro7electric po(er potential
Pakistan has a huge potential to produce electric power from hydro%electric power
plants. In table E presents a view of electric power generation with power plants
whose feasibility study has been completed or is under process. *onstruction of all
these plants gives almost EE@''' .+. This easily meets the electrical energy
requirement of Pakistan for next )'%)E years.
;rom the table B@ E we can see that hydro%electric power has a great potential. 7ome
details of these pro4ects are given in table B@E.These plants can give low cost
electricity. As they are run of river plants@ they can be easily installed with minimum
cost and in short time.
Concl!sion
The policy makers of Pakistan do talk about making dams and setting up nuclear
power plants but do not understand the importance and benefits of alternate energy
!renewable source of energy" sources such as solar@ windmill Tidal@ +ave@ and
-eothermal energy@ etc. They are cheap and quick methods for producing electricity.
Pakistan is a very blessed country because solar energy is available in most cities all
year round. 7imilarly wind energy is readily available in the coastal areas and in
interior Aaluchistan during winter. These energy sources if tapped can be of great
help in reducing the current demand supply gap. The possibility of using coal and
hydro%electric run of river plants must also be considered seriously for the long term.
Terrorism In Pakistan: Its Causes,
Impacts And Remedies
At present the gravest problem that Pakistan is faces is terrorism. It has become a headache
for federation and a nightmare for public. Though@ it is a global issue but Pakistan has to bear
the brunt of it. Pakistans involvement in the +ar on Terror has further fuelled the fire. +e
are facing war like situation against the terrorists. This daunting situation is caused due to
several factors. These factors include social in4ustice@ economic disparity@ political instability@
religious intolerance and also external hands or international conspiracies. A handful of
people who have their vicious interests to fulfil have not only taken countless innocent lives
but also distorted the real image of Islam before the world through their heinous acts.
Terrorist acts like suicide bombings have become a norm of the day. #n account of these
attacks Pakistan is suffering from ineffaceable loss ranging from civilian to economic. People
have become numerical figures@ blown up in numbers every now and then. Terrorists have not
spared any place. Aa,ars@ mosques@ educational institutes@ offices@ hotels@ no place is safe
anymore.
Though terrorism has no accepted definition@ yet it can be defined as the use of violence and
intimidation in the pursuit of political aim or the calculated use of violence or threat of
violence against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in
nature@ this is done through intimidation or coercion or inciting fear. According to ;AIs
definition@ Terrorism is the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to
intimidate or coerce a government@ the civilian population@ or any segment thereof@ in
furtherance of political or social ob4ective.
The religion of Islam !7ubmission"@ advocates freedom@ peace and mutual agreement and
admonishes aggression. The following verses make it very clear.
IAnd do not aggressJ -#( dislikes the aggressorsK. !Luran E5$F"
IMou shall resort to pardon@ advocate tolerance@ and disregard the ignorantK. !Luran5 F5&99"
The relations of .uslims !7ubmitters" with others are based primarily on peace@ mutual
respect and trust. The theme in the Luran is peace@ unless there is oppression or in4ustice
that cannot be resolved by all the peaceful means available. The true religion of Islam forbids
the killing of innocent people@ irrespective of the cause@ religious@ political or social beliefs.
I...Mou shall not kill N -#( has made life sacred N except in the course of 4ustice. These are
Gis commandments to you that you may understand.K !Luran O5&E&"
IMou shall not kill any person N for -#( has made life sacred P except in the course of
4ustice.K !Luran&F533"
In Islam@ an ama,ingly powerful emphasis is laid on developing love for mankind and on the
vital importance of showing mercy and sympathy towards every creature of Allah Almighty@
including human beings and animals. ;or indeed@ love and true sympathy is the very antidote
of terrorism.
In4ustice is one of the foremost factors that breed terrorism. +hen the grievances of the
people are not redressed they resort to violent actions. 7o this is the case with Pakistan
where timely 4ustice has always been a far cry. Gence@ the delayed 4ustice is working as
incentive for victims and dragging them to the swamp of terrorist organisations.
Illiteracy is the root causes of extremism and terrorism. .ore than one in five men aged &E to
)B unable to read or write@ and only one in )' is in tertiary education. such a high illiteracy
rate has made Pakistan vulnerable to terrorism. furthermore@ technical and vocational
education@ and adult literacy@ are especially important but unfortunately have been neglected
the most in Aaluchistan@ 1hyber Pukhtunkhwa and the Tribal Areas. Illiteracy and lack of skills
provide fertile ground for those who wish to recruit young men and women to their cause@
especially when significant monetary payments are attached.
/egarding poverty@ it is also an incubating cause of terrorism. And it is said that Ia hungry
man is an angry man.K <otably@ ma4ority of people in Pakistan are living below poverty line.
+hile especially for the youngsters@ unemployment has made the matter worse. In these
adverse circumstances@ some people go to the level of extremism and even commit suicide.
These are the people whose services are hired by the terrorist groups and they become easy
prey to terrorism.
;ood insecurity is also linked with militancy and violence. +hen people remain unable to
afford food and cannot meet their basic needs civil strife grows. A report by the Islamabad%
based 7ustainable (evelopment Policy Institute The highest levels of food insecurity@ for
instance@ exist in the ;ederally Administered Tribal Areas@ according to the report@ where OF.F
per cent of the people are insecure. The next highest level is in Aaluchistan@ with food
insecurity at O&.) per cent@ and then in 1hyber%Pukhtunkhwa@ EO.) per cent. In Pakistan some
extremist forces are exploiting the feelings of lower and lower middle class food insecure
people. They are motivating their unemployed youth to commit heinous crimes such as
suicide attacks against innocent people.
Another reason of terrorism is dissatisfaction. +hen a person is dissatisfied with the rulers
and thinks that his rights are being humiliated or exiled@ his living of life has not been
compensated@ he is deprived of rightful inheritance to office@ wrongly imprisoned and
property confiscated then he 4oins some religious parties. It does not matter which
organisation it would be. <one of the organisations has any importance for him. Adopting an
organisation would only save him from the critical situation he is in and leaves him to play in
the hands of his so%called leaders who destroy his public sense of security.
Todays Pakistan is facing democratic turmoil. A path chartered by the military regime of Ayub
1han@ Mahya 1han then of Dia%ul%Gaq was altered by yet another military regime that of
.usharraf. All these regimes produced political instability@ poor governance@ institutional
paralysis@ by passing the rule of law@ socio%economic downfall and so on. These fragile
conditions along with deteriorating law and order situation have provided a fertile ground for
terrorism to grow.
;urthermore@ lack of proper government set%up and lack of coordination and information
sharing between various institutions of government is also a cause of behind the escalating
terrorist activities. <ot to talk of providing security to common people@ our law enforcing
agencies !0As" have completely failed to protect high officials of the country. In the absence
of law and proper trial the terrorists are entrenching their roots firmly. ;ailure of the !A0s"
to bring the terrorist to book has emboldened terror mongers to strike at a target of their
choice at will. 7chools@ hospitals@ markets and places of worship have become their favourite
targets.
/eligion became the dominant force during the Dia regime when the Islami,ation of laws and
education became a state policy. And the Islamic legislation was promulgated and a number of
Islamic enactments were made@ including the Gudood and blasphemy laws. #ne may also
mention the vital role of the 4ihadis in their fight against the 7oviet military occupation with
the American support@ as well as the generous patronage extended by the government to the
religious parties and groups. It may be added that various religious groups benefited from the
support they received from abroad@ in particular from 7audi Arabia and Iran.
/eligious .adrassah is not something new for the Islam or our country. Aut after /ussian
attack on Afghanistan it took a new dimension. They were being used as recruitment centres
for 4ihadis. Thousands of .u4ahedeen were trained and sent to Afghanistan for so%called
4ihad. After the fall of /ussia@ a si,eable number of the 4ihadis who returned to Pakistan got
involved in terrorist activities.
/eligious intolerance is another factor which is adding fuel to the fire of terrorism. youth@
educated through religious .adrassahs@ are indoctrinated with extreme ideas. They become
intolerant towards other religions and even other sects of their own religion. They impose
their own extreme ideas and vent their fanaticism thorough violent actions. Intolerance
makes society 4ungle. It is proving destructive phenomenon for social harmony@ political
stability@ and economic growth.
The soviet Afghanistan war was the most critical event responsible for spreading militancy
and intolerance in Pakistan. A fundamental change that altered the very character of
Pakistani society occurred after establishment of the soviet backed communist regime in
Afghanistan. The aftermath of the soviet withdrawal exposed the damage@ transformation of
violence and +eaponisation into Pakistani society. It ultimately plagued Pakistan with a new
trend commonly referred as I1alashnikov *ultureK and ITalbanisationK. This was perhaps an
end to our long established pluralistic culture and values. /esult was a wave of vicious cycle
of 7ectarian and Inter%sect and Interfaith violence=terrorism.
/eligious extremism that took its roots in Pakistan after the Islamic /evolution in Iran in &9F9
has proved venomous for Pakistan. The increased danger of sectarian motivated acts of
violence@ have gained in power and influence over the recent past. 0xternal as well as
internal influences have impacted the sectarian issues and have served to further intensify
the magnitude and seriousness of the problem. 7ectarian violence@ therefore@ was an
extremely rare and unheard of phenomenon in Pakistan with sectarian disputes being very
locali,ed and confined rather than being frequent and widespread.
This religious extremism took a new shape of terrorism after 9=&&. After the incident of 9=&&
suicide bombing in Pakistan has become a norm of the day. The American invasion and
occupation of Afghanistan@ as well as the military operation in Pakistan@ along with the
American drone attacks@ have served to fuel religious radicalism leading to violent reaction.
The breakdown of state structures in Afghanistan created a void which was quickly filled by
groups and individuals who took it upon themselves to continue the lost battle. 7ome of them
also intruded into Pakistani tribal areas@ thus inviting the ?7 displeasure. ;lushing out these
foreign fighters by Pakistani security forces made Pakistan a battle ground@ as foreign
militants and some of their local hosts@ 4oined hands to counter the security forces.
The drone strikes have increased anti%Americanism in Pakistan society and the region. The
terrorists have used the collateral damage to maximi,e the environment and society to their
benefit. ;amilies of people killed in collateral damage become ideal nursery for suicide
bombers In Pakistan society drone attacks are popularly believed to have caused even more
civilian casualties than is actually the case. The persistence of these attacks on Pakistani
territory is continuously creating public outrages and alienating people from government and
Army. The drone is a tactical weapon and has certainly given good results tactically to support
coalition forces operation on their sides of the border but strategically history has many
unanswered questions.
#n account of anti%campaign and drone attacks scores of people have become homeless and
even some have lost all their possessions *oupled with this@ governments indifference towards
these internally displaced people has further deteriorating the situation and encouraging
people to 4oin anti%state actors. <egligence on the part of government has alienated the
people and has placed Pakistan in an undesirable situation domestically.
;urthermore@ indiscriminate and brutal persecution of innocent citi,en of 1ashmir and
Palestine by Indian and Israeli forces respectively is further boosting the monster of terrorism.
the people of 1ashmir and Palestine have been denied their basic rights for decades. Gence
their feelings of antagonism springing out in the form violent acts and also their supporters
are conducting these types of acts here in Pakistan in order the draw the attention of the
world towards the in4ustices being done to them.
Pakistan has done its level best to rid terrorism and terrorists from its soil. In first step@ many
terrorist organisations were banned by the .usharraf government. After those successful
military operations namely /ah%e%<i4at and /ah%e%/ast have been conducted. Pakistan army
has fought bravely against terrorist and has destroyed their safe dens. It has broken the
backbone of the terrorists and has forced them to flee. These operations still keep ongoing in
some tribal areas. In this context@ it is worth%mentioning that public support to military
operations is very essential@ and without peoples backing no army can win this Qdifferent
war against terrorism.
;or Pakistan the consequences of being the epicentre of the war on terror have been
disastrous physically@ psychologically and economically. <obody understands terrorism better
than us !Pakistanis". +e have been victims of various manifestations of it since the 7oviet
Afghan war. 7ince 9=&&@ the wave of suicide bombing has so far killed scores of innocent
Pakistani civilians and muffled the already slow pace of our economic growth. The financial
cost of the ongoing global war on terror in the last two years alone has been R3E billion. This
has badly affected in particular@ the socio%economic development of Pakistan. est we forget@
we even lost our prominent political leader Aena,ir Ahuttoto an act of terror.
7ince 7eptember &&@ )''&@ )&@OF) Pakistani civilians have lost their lives or have been
seriously in4ured in an ongoing fight against terrorism. The Pakistan Army has lost )@F9E
soldiers in the war and $@OF& have been in4ured. There have been 3@B$O bomb blasts in the
country@ including )$3 ma4or suicide attacks. .ore than 3.E million have been displaced. The
damage to the Pakistani economy is estimated at RO$ billion over the last ten years. #ver
)''@''' Pakistani troops were deployed at the frontline and 9'@''' soldiers are fighting
against militants on the Afghan border.
The ongoing insurgency has accelerated the already dismal economic situation and has
affected almost each and every economic aspects of the country@ particularly in ;ATA and
1hyber Pukhtunkhwa. All the main resources of revenue in affected areas have been hurt@
including agriculture@ the tourism industry@ manufacturing and small%scale industry.
(ue to insurgency@ the loss to agriculture alone amounts to /s.3E billion. The breakdown in
law and order situation has damaged the fruit based economy of the northern areas. It has
rendered billions of rupes losses to the landowners@ labourers@ dealers and farmers who earn
their livelihood from these orchards. Also@ the 0conomic survey of Pakistan report shows that
the share of agriculture in the gross domestic product !-(P" has been constantly falling. It
accounted for )E.99 per cent of -(P in &999%)'''J however@ gradually its share shrank to )&.3
per cent in )''F%)''$. The figures show that terrorism has not only decreased the productive
capacity of agricultural activity in these regions but also in the entire country.
The manufacturing sector has been hard hit by frequent incidents of terrorism and has
created an uncertain environment resulting into low level of economic growth. The
manufacturing sector is witnessing the lowest%ever share of &$.) per cent in the -(P over the
last five years. In addition@ the small and medium%si,e enterprises which are key area of
manufacturing in Pakistan have been affected across the country because of power shortages
and recurrent terrorist attacks.
According to a Garvard study !(ecember )'''"@ higher levels of terrorism risk are associated
with lower levels of net ;(I. In case of Pakistan@ terrorism has affected the allocation of firms
investing money in the country. As a result@ ;(I@ which had witnessed a steep rise over the
previous several years@ was adversely affected by the terrorist acts in the country@ especially
in ;ATA and other areas of 1hyber Pukhtunkhwa.
According to the +orld 0conomic ;orum@ Pakistan ranked &&3 out of &3' countries in )''9 as a
tourist destination. The low ranking is attributed to incidents of terrorism and the lack of a
tourism regulatory framework in Pakistan. #n account of persistent terrorist attacks many
hotels in the northwest areas have been closed. According to governments own estimates@
the hotel industry in 7wat valley has suffered a loss of /s. O' billion. .any workers have lost
their 4obs and transport has also face a severe blow.
(ue to war on terror@ local people of war%ridden areas are migrating to other areas of
Pakistan. *ountry has seen the largest migration since independence in &9BF. These people
have left their homes@ businesses@ possessions and property back home. This large influx of
people and their rehabilitation is an economic burden for Pakistan. ?nemployment is still
prevalent and now the question of providing employment to these migrants has also become a
serious concern. This portion of population is contributing nothing worthwhile to the national
income yet they have to be benefitted from it. This unproductive lot of people is a growing
economic problem of Pakistan
7ocial impacts have also been caused by this war. In a society where terror exists cannot be
healthy. 7ocial disorgani,ation has occurred due to terrorism. 7ocial relations@ economic
transactions@ free moments@ getting education@ offering prayers etc. have suffered. Pakistans
participation in the anti%terrorism campaign has led to massive unemployment@ homelessness@
poverty and other social problems and ills. In addition@ frequent incidents of terrorism and
displacement of the local Spopulation have severely affected the social fabric.
#n the political front Pakistan is badly impacted in fighting the war against terrorism. It has
taken many valuable steps to defeat terrorists. In spite of all the sacrifices the country is
making it is branded to be a country insincere or half%hearted in fighting the menace. 0very
time the country is told to Ido moreK. It is further alleged for infiltration of the militants
inside ?7%<AT# dominated Afghanistan. The failure of the +estern troops in the
neighbourhood is blamed on Pakistan. This situation has eroded the trust between the
governments and caused international image problem for the country.
7imilarly the terror has brought in its wake psychological problems. ;ear in the hearts of the
people is created. Trauma@ depressions and confusion have been increased. The people feel
insecure and unsafe whenever in their daily life activities@ as time and again they watch the
terror events taking place in different cities. Those have especially been suffered who have
closely witnessed the suicidal bombings.
The religion is also impacted by the war against terrorism. The religion of Islam is perceived
to be the one tolerating extremism and terrorism abroad. In the western world people equate
violence@ abuse against women and minority rights@ and several acts of terrorism like suicidal
bombing and coercion with Islam and .uslims. +henever any such inhuman act takes place
they tie it with Islam and its followers. +hen in the ?1 terror acts were committed the
authority blamed it on Pakistani citi,ens for instance. And why these days Pakistanis are
discriminately interrogated and have to be screened before they inter the ?7 is due to the
fact that they are Pakistanis and .uslims.
Thorough analysis of the causes of terrorism and its ineffaceable impacts indicate that in
Pakistan this phenomenon has not come to fore overnight. It has taken decades to flourish
and involves many factors. 7ince terrorism is a multifaceted@ the solution has to be multi%
pronged. In view of the root causes described in above paragraphs@ the possible
remediescould include5
6 To begin with@ a national commission needs to be set up@ which identifies the fault lines and
the root causes of the rise of extremism in Pakistan taking into consideration the post%<ine%
0leven developments.
6 It should also take up the question of reforming the madrassas. The heads of all the ma4or
religious groups should be contacted and engaged to explore short%term and long%term
solutions.
6 #ur universities and research institutes should take up the intellectual task of re%
interpreting the Islamic in4unctions in the light of modern knowledge and )&st century
challenges !with emphasis on social 4ustice".
6 The government must improve its performance. Aad governance and corruption have
lowered its credibility and clout@
6 Parliament must debate Pakistans present relationship with the ?7@ with particular
reference to the American war in Afghanistan and operations in Pakistan.
6 #ur government should make efforts to develop sector. +ithout any doubt@ these efforts
will play a crucial role not only in providing employment to the millions of people but will
also eliminate poverty in the country.
6 Pakistans government should particularly emphasise the need of technical education by
promoting it. In this respect@ more institutes should be opened in order to promote technical
education.
6 It is mentionable that there are two types of terrorists@ extremists and moderates. In order
to cope with terrorism@ our government should neutralise the moderate terrorists through
reconciliation by offering them general pardon and asking them to renounce terrorism. 0ven
extremist insurgents can be offered mediation. <evertheless@ those militants who re4ect the
offer could be fought through military operations.
6 <onetheless@ for their on global and regional interests@ ?7%led western allies must not only
increase the military and economic aid of Pakistan but also provide direct market access to
Pak products on ,ero rate duty to help stabilise the countrys bleak economy in the wake of
the war against terror.
6 As Pakistan has been successfully coping with the menace of terrorism@ ?7%led some western
countries including India should also give up their propaganda campaign against Islamabad and
blame game against its intelligence agency I7I.
6 ?7 should help in resolving the 1ashmir dispute to deal with the problem of militancy in the
region.
6 In order to fight terrorism@ Pakistans media should play a key role. It must point out the
criminal activities of the militants like hostage%taking@ killing of the innocent peopleT torching
the government buildings including girl schools and car%snatching. It should also indicate that
Islam is a religion of peace and does not allow suicide attacks.
6 As Pakistan is already facing various crises of grave nature in wake of terrorism@ so our
politicians must stop manipulating the same for their own self%interests. Ay setting aside their
differences and by showing power of tolerance@ both our rulers and opposition parties need to
act upon a policy of national reconciliation to cope with the problem of terrorism and to
stand before external pressure.
6 ;inally@ our politicians@ general masses and security forces must show a strong sense of unity
to fight terrorism@
To conclude@ Pakistan is a peace loving nation and playing its important role in combating
terror. /ecognition of efforts to fight menace of terrorism and sacrifices rendered thereof are
testimony to the commitment and resolve to bring peace in the region. ?nfortunately
sometimes its commitment is doubted by some of its allies. .istrust can lead to diversion of
efforts@ which will not be beneficial to common ob4ective of peace in the region. Pakistan is a
responsible nationJ fully capable of defending its territorial integrity. Pakistan has singularly
committed large forces to combat menace of terrorism more than any other country. <o
foreign troops are either present or deployed on Pakistan soil.
All citi,ens of Pakistan must propagate moderate vibrant culture of Pakistan to promote good
will of world community and shun misconstrued beliefs. Attacks on security forces personnel
are executed at the sponsorship of hostile intelligence agencies. 7uch anti state elements
must be singled out and brought to lime light to defeat evil agendas of our enemies. Pakistan
has sacrificed the most in the ongoing war on terrorJ critici,ing Pakistans efforts at
national=international forum will be counter%productive to the overall ob4ectives of war on
terror.
The Israeli$Palestinian %onflict &ssay
'he Israeli.Palestinian conflict is of current importance and interest because, although it was sol$ed, there is a great
probability that it may break out again. It was $ery difficult to achie$e peace in this conflict because the problem was
not only in the current political situation and relations between Palestine and Israel nowadays, the root of the conflict
is in distant past. 'here are two ethnical groups % Israelis and Palestinians % and they are fighting for the same
geographical territory. Both these groups ha$e deep roots on this territory, they can present a lot of arguments to
pro$e that this area belongs to them. 'hese arguments are reasonable from both sides, they ha$e historical and
religious basement. 'he Guestion is? who is right here and how to sol$e this conflictH
+nited ,tates approaches the 0iddle East conflict pragmatically. 'his country tries to get profit from this conflict and
promotes its own interests. +.,. wants to see stability in the 0iddle East regions and put a lot of efforts to guarantee
it. 'here are se$eral reasons of such +.,. policy. /+.,. foreign policy has therefore been based upon four
cornerstones? the preser$ation of a continued flow of large Guantities of cheap Gulf oilI the protection of the ,tate of
IsraelI the containment of &ommunism as introduced by foreign powers ;the ,o$iet +nion in past years<I and the
curbing of mo$ements potentially threatening stability, especially Islamic fundamentalism and ;historically< radical
leftist ideology2 ;>assassian<. ,o, the +.,. policy can be characteriJed by the factors mentioned abo$e. =oreign
policy of the +.,. is greatly determined by its internal policy. merica is a democratic country where minorities play an
essential role in determining the state policy. In addition Dewish community in the +.,. is $ery influential. It has great
political influence and has prominent charity organiJations. 'hat is why Dewish community plays an important role in
determining merican foreign policy. 0ore than K) percent of the world oil resources are situated in the 0iddle East
and that is one of the reason of mericaEs steadfast interest to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. 'he +nited
,tates has supported and protected Israel since its foundation. In addition it in$ested money to the growth and
de$elopment of this country. ,ince the period of its foundation, Israel has recei$ed about L!K) billion from the +nited
,tates. 'his figure is se$eral times higher than support any other country has e$er recei$ed. ,uch an amount of
money is partially eFplained by great influence of pro.Israel Dewish community. nother more pragmatic reason is a
good strategic location of Israel. It is situated at the doorway to sia and good relations between the +.,. and Israel
guarantee the +.,. free access to the ,ueJ &anal. 'he confrontation with &ommunist regimes and the di$ision of the
sphere of influence is another reason of the acti$e participation of the +nited ,tate in the conflict. /With the fall of the
Iron &urtain in !"*", the +nited ,tates was able to impose unthreatened hegemony in the region, a pri$ilege ne$er
before seen in world history. ,uch domination of the incredible resources of the Gulf in many ways means the +nited
,tates can do what it wants. 'his results in an merican arrogance and a readiness to destroy all possible threats to
its hegemony2 ;>assassian<. 'he +nited ,tates officially took part in the negotiation between Israel and Palestine and
appro$ed the policy of /land for peace2. But in reality it ne$er stopped financial, military and moral support of Israel.
rafat agreed with the concepts proposed by E+ because it was based on the resolutions 3K3 and 44* of the +nited
:ations and was based on the /land for peace policy2. t the same time Israel ignores commitments made in @slo
feeling the support of the +nited ,tates and breaks +.:. resolutions feeling the support of the +.,. /,ince the signing
of @slo, Israel has eFpropriated more land for settlement building than during any other time in history. @$er 7)
percent of the West Bank and 47 percent of GaJa are now reser$ed for settlements, lea$ing the Palestinian uthority
in charge of aM meager 4 percent2 ;>assassian<. t the same time, +.,. who officially proclaims the policy of eGual
attitudes and stands for the peace in the region, shows no discontent with the actions of Israel. 0oreo$er, official
figures of the +, policy eFpress ideas, that Palestine should lower its eFpectations concerning the conflict resolutions
and keep silence about the agreement made between Israel and Palestine earlier.
'he +nited ,tates and European countries are acti$e participants of the Israeli.Palestinian conflict. 'he +, foreign
secretary is an acti$e member of most conferences that were de$oted to this problem. In my opinion, European
countries and the +nited ,tates pay too much attention to this conflict and interfere in it. @nly these two nations all in
all can sol$e it, because it isnEt an economic or political conflict, itEs religious conflict, conflict of interests and only
people of this religion can find the solution. @f course, other countries should do e$erything to help Palestinians and
Israelis to sol$e this conflict without war and blood. In no way other countries must try to use this conflict in their own
selfish ends, it will only complicate the situation and lead to war, all in all.
PA! $,I#A R&%A(I'#S
9hina and /akistan are .good all weather friends. and there is e,istence of mutual support
and cooperation !etween !oth the countries .'he closed friendly relations that have stood
the test of time over the years have gained greater strength and vitality despite the great
changes which have taken place on the international and regional scene. 'hey have also
remained unaffected !y domestic changes. 'his is !ecause that the friendship !etween the
two countries is !ased on respect for the principles of the UN 9harter and the ?ive /rinciples
of /eaceful 9oe,istence. t is underpinned !y mutual trust and confidence and has !een
nurtured and enriched !y fre(uent high-level contacts. Both sides have a common interest
in the peace and sta!ility of 2outh 0sia and have !een working together in the pursuit of
this o!4ective. 'hey oppose international and regional hegemony and have !een striving for
a 4ust international political and economic order. /akistan and 9hina consult each other
regularly on international and regional issues and cooperate closely in international forums.
t is always hoped that the relations !etween the two countries will continue to flourish and
strengthen further especially in the new century.
During the past +J years, /akistan and 9hina have developed an all-round partnership
which em!races cooperation in the political, defense, economic, commercial, cultural and
other fields. 'his partnership has !een constantly growing in strength over the years and
has made a positive contri!ution to peace and sta!ility in 2outh 0sia.
$,I#A AS A# &-AMP%&.
'he salient features of 9hinese policies are a model for /akistan. 'he structure of regional
and glo!al development, the well thought policy of economic li!eralization as well as a
successful diplomacy all these features, if followed can make /akistan a stronger and a far
!etter nation.
?or this very reason !oth the countries have launched mutual programs of economic and
technological development which surely pave the way for the !righter /akistan. Not only this
9hina has always helped /akistan in the foreign trade investment and !ecause of its
contri!utions and technical assistance /akistan has started ma4or pro4ects of social and
economic development.
'he large 9hinese market with its high population and growing prosperity provides one of
the largest market of the future and /akistan must respond to the opportunities that arise.
R&*I'#A% P'%I(I$A% /#0&RS(A#0I#*.
9hina !eing a /akistan6s !ig !rother has also always assisted it in the promotion of regional
peace, security and mutual understanding with other countries of the region. 9hina has
always !een there whenever /akistan re(uired help regarding its concerns associated with
the age old rivalry with ndia. 9hina has always strongly supported the regional peace issues
and has always stressed on the arrangement of mutual dialogue !etween ndia and /akistan
over the issue of Cashmir.
#&W P,AS& 'F (I&S WI(, $,I#A.
-ecently the official visit of 9hinese /remiere Wen Ni!ao to /akistan has raised the all
weather 2ino /akistan friendship to new heights and made it more relevant to their
individual and 4oint concerns. 'he visit laid stress on the strengthening economic
cooperation. 'he !ilateral trade e,pansion has !een emphasized .DD agreements have !een
signed for specific cooperation in sectors ranging from agriculture, information technology
and education to energy and investment.
$'#$%/SI'#.
'he friendship !etween /akistan and 9hina is a cornerstone of our foreign policy and serve
the interest of the two nations !ut also of the entire region. t is a friendship which is not
directed against any country !ut contri!utes to the peace and sta!ility in 0sia and the world.
&old War
In !"K7, the +nited ,tates and ,o$iet +nion were allies, -ointly triumphantin World War II, which
ended with total $ictory for ,o$iet and merican forces o$er dolf >itler9s :aJi empire in Europe.
Within -ust a few years, howe$er, wartime allies became mortal enemies, locked in a global struggle
Nmilitary, political, economic, ideologicalNto pre$ail in a new 8&old War.8
>ow did wartime friends so Guickly turn into &old War foesH
Who started the &old WarH
Was it the ,o$iets, who reneged on their agreements to allow the people of Eastern Europe to
determine their own fates by imposing totalitarian ruleon territories unlucky enough to fall behind the
8Iron &urtainH8
@r was it the mericans, who ignored the ,o$iets9 legitimate security concerns, sought to intimidate
the world with the atomic bomb, and pushed relentlessly to eFpand their own international influence
and market dominanceH
'he tensions that would later grow into &old War became e$ident as early as !"K4, when the 8Big
'hree8 allied leadersNmerican President =ranklin 1. Boose$elt, British Prime 0inister Winston
&hurchill, and ,o$iet Premier Dosef ,talinNmet in 'ehran to coordinate strategy. Poland, which sits
in anunfortunate position on the map, sGueeJed between freGuent enemies Bussia and Germany,
became a topic for heated debate. 'he Poles, then under German occupation, had not one but two
go$ernments.in.eFileNone &ommunist, one anticommunistNhoping to take o$er the country upon
its liberation from the :aJis. +nsurprisingly, the Big 'hree disagreed o$er which Polish faction
should be allowed to take control after the war, with ,talin backing the Polish &ommunists while
&hurchill and Boose$elt insisted the Polish people ought to ha$e the right to choose their own form
of go$ernment. =or ,talin, the Polish Guestion was a matter of the ,o$iet +nion9s $ital security
interestsI Germany had in$aded Bussia through Poland twice since !"!K, and more than 3) million
,o$iet citiJens died inWorld War II. ;'he ,o$iets suffered nearly siFty times as many casualties in
the war as the mericans did.< ,talin was determined to make sure that such an in$asion could
ne$er happen again, and insisted that only a &ommunist Poland, friendly to ;and dominated by< the
,o$iet +nion, could ser$e as a buffer against future aggression from the west. ,talin9s security
concerns ran smack into nglo.merican $alues of self.determination, which held that the Poles
ought to be allowed to make their own decision o$er whether or not to become a ,o$iet satellite.
t 'ehran, and at the neFt ma-or conference of the Big 'hree at Aalta in !"K7, the leaders of the +,,
+K, and +,,B were able to reach a number of important agreementsNsettling border
disputes, creating the +nited :ations, organiJing the postwar occupations of Germany and Dapan.
But Poland remained a $eFing problem. t Aalta, ,talinNinsisting that 8Poland is a Guestion of life or
death for Bussia8Nwas able to win &hurchill9s and Boose$elt9s reluctant acceptance of a
&ommunist.dominated pro$isional go$ernment for Poland. In eFchange, ,talin signed on to a $ague
and toothless 81eclaration of Ciberated Europe,8 pledging to assist 8the peoples liberated from the
dominion of :aJi Germany and the peoples of the former Fis satellite states of Europe to sol$e by
democratic means their pressing political and economic problems.8 'he agreements allowed
&hurchill and Boose$elt to claim they had defended the principle of self.determination, e$en though
both knew that Poland had effecti$ely been consigned to the ,o$iet sphere of interest. 'he
pro$isional &ommunist go$ernment in Poland later held rigged elections ;which it, not surprisingly,
won<, nominally complying with the 1eclaration of Ciberated Europe e$en though no alternati$e to
&ommunist rule e$er really had a chance in the country.
In the end, the Aalta agreements were not so much a true compromise as a useful ;in the short term<
misunderstanding among the three leaders. ,talin left happy he had won nglo.merican
acceptance of de &acto ,o$iet control of Eastern EuropeI Boose$elt and &hurchill left happy they
had won ,talin9s acceptance of the principle of self.determination. But the two parts of the
agreement were mutually eFclusi$eI what would happen if the Eastern Europeans sought to self.
determine themsel$es out of the ,o$iet orbitH =uture disputes o$er the problematic Aalta
agreements were not -ust likelyI they were $irtually ine$itable.
nd the likelihood of future conflict only heightened on !3 pril !"K7, when President =ranklin 1.
Boose$elt uneFpectedly died of a brain hemorrhage. 5ice President >arry ,. 'rumanNa former
0issouri senator with only a high.school education, who had ser$ed -ust *3 days as $ice president
and had not been part of =1B9s inner circleNsuddenly became the President of the +nited ,tates.
'ruman, who may not ha$e e$er known -ust how much Boose$elt had actually conceded to ,talin at
Aalta, $iewed the ,o$iets9 later inter$entions in Eastern Europe as a simple $iolation of the Aalta
agreements, as proof that ,talin was a liar who could ne$er be trusted. 'ruman Guickly staked out a
hard.line position, resol$ing to counter ,talin9s apparently insatiable dri$e for power by blocking any
further eFpansion of the ,o$iet sphere of influence, anywhere in the world. +nder 'ruman,
containment of &ommunism soon came to dominate merican foreign policy. 'he &old War was on.
,o who started the &old WarH
In the early days of the &old War itself, merican historians would ha$e answered, nearly
unanimously, that the ,o$iets started the &old War. Dosef ,talin was an e$il dictator, propelled by an
e$il &ommunist ideology to attempt world domination. ppeasement hadn9t worked against >itler,
and appeasement wouldn9t work against ,talin either. n innocent merica had only reluctantly
-oined the &old War to defend the =ree World from otherwise ine$itable totalitarian conGuest.
In the !"()s, a new generation of re$isionist historiansNdisillusioned by the5ietnam War and
appalled by seemingly endemic go$ernment dishonestyNoffered a startingly different interpretation.
In this re$isionist $iew, ,talin may ha$e been a 0achia$ellian despot but he was an essentially
conser$ati$e oneI he was more interested in protecting the ,o$iet +nion ;and his own power within
it< than in dominating the world. mericans erroneously interpreted ,talin9s legitimate insistence
upon a security buffer in Poland to indicate a desire for global conGuestI mericans9 subseGuent
aggressi$e efforts to contain ,o$iet influence, to intimidate the ,o$iets with the atomic bomb, and to
pursue merican economic interests around the globe were primarily responsible for starting the
&old War.
0ore recently, a school of historians led by Aale professor Dohn Cewis Gaddis ha$e promoted what
they call a 8post.re$isionist synthesis,8 incorporating many aspects of the re$isionist critiGue while
still insisting that ,talin, as a uniGuely powerful and uniGuely male$olent historical actor, must bear
the greatest responsibility for the &old War.
In the end, it may be that 8Who started the &old WarH8 is simply the wrong Guestion to ask. World
War II destroyed all other ma-or ri$als to merican and ,o$iet powerI the +, and +,,B emerged
from the conflict as the only two nations on earth that could hope to propagate their social and
political systems on a global scale. Each commanded powerful military forcesI each espoused
globally eFpansi$e ideologiesI each feared and distrusted the other. In the end, it may ha$e been
more shocking if the two superpowers had not become great ri$als and &old War enemies.