Current PPP Govt. has been working without any External Minister from last 5 or 6 months, they have Hina Rabbani Khar, the Loti, who was Minister of State or Maybe Minister in Mushy Govt. and then remained Minister of State on Financial Affairs in current PPP govt.
So it is very difficult yet and impossible task to assume that the current govt is capable or have anyone capable to formulate any policy let alone a policy to survive and/or build relationship in a complex world. As i may say, i don’t think that we have any External Policy in place…
Lets Share Ideas to develop one long-term External Policy of Pakistan: My points would be:
Pakistan Must not interfere or side any group in any country, there should be a fix policy which should revolve around trade and Govt of Pakistan make it clear that they only mean trade and that is it. Whatever revolution or change is coming up in the country, Pakistan should focus it’s trade interest nothing more, doesn’t matter if it involves talking to all groups, giving them piece of the pie.
If under any defense contract, Pakistan’s Armed forces are deployed in any country, then those forces shall have a clear role which should not be in contradiction with the point mentioned above. Pakistan Armed Forces should be deployed to provide training and/or use of equipments Pakistan may sell to those countries. If necessary, Pakistan can deploy it’s army or take a particular stance to safe-guard Its interest and then the Interest of the Friendly country who asked for Military assistance.
Ministry should sponsor and take part in movements/activities related to economics, environment, culture and research events making sure that somebody from Pakistan is there.
Ministry must appoint active Ambassadors in all Countries with given targets for trade, relationship and deployment of work-force with those countries. The appointment of Ambassadors shall be on merit only.
Ministry’s key Job should be get at least a role of observer ( if not member) in almost all the regional, economical, cultural and political consortium/forums. It should actively take part in these forums and represent Pakistan’s point of view on issue at hand if required.
Ministry should create lobbies in countries to soften the image of the country, it should finance think-tanks to certain extent.
Ministry should have people speaking English, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Turkey, German, French, Spanish and Persian for correspondence with media persons in the countries these languages are spoken, they need to develop a kind of relationship with the media out-lets in countries to the extend that the media people feel free to call and collect comments on certain/related issues.
there needs to be a clear understanding of how policy will be forumulated.......
which people will be involved in policymaking........with consensus of all i.e Military, Politicians, Foreign policy experts etc etc...
once that is decided.......it won't be difficult to implement the lower level steps that you talk about.
there needs to be a clear understanding of how policy will be forumulated.......
which people will be involved in policymaking........with consensus of all i.e Military, Politicians, Foreign policy experts etc etc...
once that is decided.......it won't be difficult to implement the lower level steps that you talk about.
The foreign policy changes with the events happening globally and internally, and normally reflect the ideology of the people in power... e.g. if republicans comes to power, there is going to be a war somewhere and US economy is going to take a dive, where if democrats comes into power, they do the cleaning job and put the economy back on track..
having said that, Generals/Army should have little or i must say no say in formulating one... they are not trained for the job and they shouldn't be involved in it. Yes, Agencies can be asked to provide with the research and analysis they have conducted in different countries and that is it...
having said that, Generals/Army should have little or i must say no say in formulating one... they are not trained for the job and they shouldn't be involved in it. Yes, Agencies can be asked to provide with the research and analysis they have conducted in different countries and that is it...
You are talking about ideal circumstances.......keeping things realistic is better at the moment............ even the politicians shouldn't have much say in it either..considering the sort of politicians we have...........
It should be decided by all parties concerned....mutually.......with strong representation of technical experts in decision making body......with people reprsenting all parties present in it.........
^^ Foreign policies are normally part of MANSHOOR of political parties, like they do tell people if they come in power they would have this kind of relationship with xyz... and politicians normally develop it with the help/assistance from the technocrats or think-tanks... politicians who are elected by us should be the one to have final say in it, that is how they become accountable to it. otherwise the mantra of blaming everything to establishment will continue..
eventually we need to get in that scenario, we need to raise out voice at every level to make our political parties think about formulating one... if not today then tomorrow, they should do it... and i believe that we should do whatever we can... throw the ideas, raise the concerns at the level we are at, at least then in front of our Lord we would be able to say that we try our best to play our part...
politicians who are elected by us should be the one to have final say in it, that is how they become accountable to it. otherwise the mantra of blaming everything to establishment will continue..
That is for the time when we have some trustworthy politicians :D
In near future..considering the amount of influence Military has......you just can't cut them off.....and give the fate of the country completely in hands of these corrupt sellouts.......better to gradually wean off military's influence....at the same time slow shift to the politicians........those nalaiks will sell out the country within seconds if they get the chance...........
That is for the time when we have some trustworthy politicians :D
In near future..considering the amount of influence Military has......you just can't cut them off.....and give the fate of the country completely in hands of these corrupt sellouts.......better to gradually wean off military's influence....at the same time slow shift to the politicians........those nalaiks will sell out the country within seconds if they get the chance...........
:D
agreed, likes of zardari would trade entire Pakistan for some property elsewhere.. like Bhutto sold us out in 1971... but the army hasn't been clean as well, we had mushy who started the doctrine of surrendering on Telephone.. and we have NS who was not military man but did went against the will of US in 1999.... not because he was statesman, but because of public pressure and possible out-burst if he didn't do it...
We already have a National Security Council, this kind of issues can be discussed and agreed at that level, it is the place where politicians and army men are sitting together..