Malik Ashraf
LAST Wednesday Pakistan successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile NASR, after undertaking a series of training launches and tests for validation of the new technical parameters of the missile with enhanced range from 60km to 70km and flight maneuverability. The COAS General Bajwa referring to the development said that it had put cold water on the Indian Cold Start doctrine. The General rightly said “Our strategic capability is a guarantee of peace against a highly militarized and increasingly belligerent neighbour. India has been a potent threat to the territorial integrity and security of Pakistan ever since partition and the consequent Kashmir dispute. India actually never reconciled to the idea of partition and has always been on the look out to harm Pakistan. Both the countries have been involved in three conventional wars over Kashmir. But when India exploded its first nuclear device in 1974 it really raised alarm bells in Pakistan. Security and territorial integrity naturally became the top priority and Pakistan perforce had to give a matching response to India. Had Pakistan not adopted this course India surely would have put our security at peril and established its hegemony in the region and forced Pakistan to live under her tutelage, a development which would have consigned the region to permanent instability. By going nuclear and creating a nuclear deterrent against India Pakistan actually created a balance of power, enhancing the prospects of peace. So while attaining the nuclear status by India had an aggressive motive, Pakistan’s response was defensive in nature.
Pakistan has always maintained this position at the international level that the ‘minimum nuclear deterrent’ against India was essential to safeguard its security and promoting peace in the region. However Pakistan has been a staunch supporter of nuclear non-proliferation in spite of not being a signatory to the NPT. It has resisted the pressure to sign the NPT justifiably insisting that it would sign the treaty if India also signed it simultaneously because any unilateral action on part of Pakistan could jeopardize its security. It has also acted in a very responsible manner and adopted all measures required to qualify for becoming a member of the NSG. As against this India has always adopted a hostile posture towards Pakistan. Its ‘cold start’ doctrine is Pakistan specific.But unfortunately US and its western allies continue to maintain their pressure on Pakistan to cap its nuclear programme while helping India to expand its nuclear weapons arsenal. They have signed agreements with India for transfer of civil nuclear technology and are also pushing for India’s membership of the NSG in violation of the NPT, while they are not prepared to extend the same treatment to Pakistan. By any standards Pakistan is a deserving candidate for the membership of NSG and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has repeatedly made a credible case in this regard at the UN and other international forums. Pakistan supported by China and other countries is resisting admission of India in the NSG maintaining that there should be a criteria-based approach in regards to admitting non-NPT states to the NSG. Pakistan’s fears and reservations about NSG waiver for India have been corroborated by the international nuclear monitoring agencies saying that after this waiver India has expanded its programme of nuclear arsenal. In view of the foregoing realities, Pakistan is fully justified in challenging the discriminatory treatment meted out to her on the nuclear issue. It has also adopted a principled stand on FMCT maintaining that the question of removing the existing asymmetry between India and Pakistan needs to be addressed first before the commencement of the dialogue on the issue.
But what is encouraging to note that Pakistan government led by Nawaz Sharif, the man who made Pakistan’s defence invicible by conducting the nuclear tests is not wilting under the international pressure on the issue like it did not when the nuclear tests were conducted. It is alive to the developments occurring in our region and is leaving no stone unturned to strengthen security of the county.
Simultaneously it is also working with an unruffled commitment, notwithstanding the obstacle being erected by the political opponents of the government, to change the economic profile of the country. The economy has been revived and the current GDP growth rate stands at 5.1% as compared to 3% in 2013.
This achievement has been repeatedly acknowledged by the international lending and rating agencies. The world Bank in its latest assessment has indicated a growth rate of 5.2 % during 2017 with the prospect of further enhancement in growth rate during 2018 and 2019. The CPEC is yet another mega-economic initiative that has the potential to change economic profile of the country and the entire region. Economists believe that the completion of projects under CPEC would add 2% to the GDP growth rate.
It is said that strong economy and strong defence are sine quo none for each other. In view of its geographical location and the security threat that it faces from India, Pakistan does need a strong economy to sustain strong defence. At the same time the strategy being pursued by the present government with regard to improving relations with neighbouring countries including India and orchestrating regional linkages is not only pragmatic but visionary in approach. No person in his right mind can take exception to this approach.
