A tale of many betrayals
Since 9/11, the United States had imposed various sanctions on Pakistan to get the country to crack down on terrorist networks. The latest round of sanctions was announced in January 2018, after President Donald Trump’s New Year’s tweet in which he accused Pakistan of “lies and deceit.”
The sanctions included the freezing of all military aid to Pakistan and the ushering in a more aggressive visa policy for Pakistani citizens seeking to travel to the United States. The Trump administration also threatened to place Pakistan on a global watch list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
Pakistan’s military has been a key ally of the United States in the “war on terror” since 9/11. But, in recent years, the agency only received criticism from the US instead of an acknowledgment for its services.
The Betrayal of SEATO and CENTO
Pakistan’s membership in SEATO and CENTO was intended to bolster its security posture and provide it with access to US military assistance in the event of war with India. However, following the US suspension of military assistance to Pakistan in early 1971, Pakistan could not secure any significant US support in the war. As a result of the US suspension of military aid, Pakistan was forced to seek assistance from other countries, most notably China and other countries.
Noam Chomsky says that there is a difference in the way doctrines apply to the rich countries and poor countries; in plain words, it is the hypocrisy that creates a trust deficit. In 1965 when Pakistan was a US ally, Pakistan was at war with India. The US imposed an arms embargo on Pakistan when it was dependent on its supplies. Naturally, Pakistan felt disappointed by the US which should have extended help as per the assurances given at the signing of the South-East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) and Central Treaty Organization (CENTO). To avoid relying on a single supplier Pakistan reached out to China from where it secured not only Chou-en-Lai’s assurances of support to Pakistan in the event of Indian aggression but also military supplies. Pakistan becoming independent became a concern in Washington, and so the US lifted the arms embargo partially in 1967.
Notice how Pakistan becoming independent is a concern even today and causes a stir in US policy.
Relying solely on FATF, the G7 colonizers in a newer packaging would be a severe mistake. As we see from the example of the 1965 arms embargo betrayal, Pakistan needs to reach out gradually toward alternative economies whose interests are in line with Pakistan’s National interests.
Relations between Pakistan and the USA have been tense since the early 1970s, and the two countries have often disagreed on policy issues. The two countries have clashed over several issues, including the US drone program in Pakistan and the US’s support for India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Pakistan’s relations with the US have continued to deteriorate in recent years. In contrast, Pakistan’s relations with China and other countries in the region have continued to strengthen in recent years, and Pakistan has received significant military support.
The Salala Massacre
The 2011 NATO attack in Pakistan, also known as the Salala massacre, Salala attack was a border attack that occurred when United States-led NATO forces engaged Pakistani security forces at two Pakistani military check-posts along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border on 26 November 2011
The incident killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and wounded another 13.
The NATO attack on Pakistani troops at two checkposts on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in November 2011 killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and wounded another 13. It was referred to as the “Salala incident” in Pakistan. The international media nicknamed it “the Salala massacre.”
The attack took place at about 2:00 am local time (2100 GMT) on 26 November 2011, when NATO aircraft bombed two Pakistani army check-posts in the Salala district of the Pakistani province of Pakistan. Despite Pakistani appeals for NATO forces to stop, the attack continued for more than an hour.
The airstrikes killed 24 members of the Pakistan Army and wounded 13. According to NATO, the airstrikes were in response to fire from the Pakistani side of the border that had killed two US soldiers.
The Pakistani government condemned the attack and summoned the United States ambassador to Pakistan to demand an explanation. Pakistan closed the border crossings into Afghanistan and boycotted the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan.
According to an investigation conducted by the Pakistani Government, the attack was unprovoked, and NATO forces had ignored Pakistani warnings. The report also said that the attack killed nine civilians, including six children.
In the weeks following the attack, the US and Pakistani governments held talks to resolve the dispute. The US offered an apology and a $5 million compensation payment, as usual, some shiny dollars, but Pakistan refused to accept the apology until the US provided “solid evidence” that the attack was not deliberate.
The attack led to a deterioration of relations between the US and Pakistan. In May 2012, the US announced cutting off all military aid to Pakistan. The closure of the Pakistani border crossings caused difficulties for NATO forces in Afghanistan and led to increased prices for goods transported into Afghanistan.
In October 2013, the Pakistani parliament approved a resolution demanding an end to US drone strikes in Pakistan. The resolution called the Salala attack a “serious infringement of Pakistan’s sovereignty.” There was no militant activity along the Afghan border region when NATO conducted the attack and the Pakistani military called the strike “unprovoked and indiscriminate.” The Government of Pakistan initiated a strong protest against the United States and immediately stopped providing NATO troops supplies in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani military called the strike “unprovoked and indiscriminate.” The government of Pakistan launched a strong protest against the US and immediately discontinued the supply to NATO troops located in Afghanistan.
According to the Pakistani government, the attack killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and wounded another 13. NATO initially claimed the attack was an accident caused by “miscalculation” but later apologized for the incident. Pakistani lives and soldiers’ blood is like a video game for the US. Kill now and apologize later.
Which “long-standing” relationship are we trying to maintain or improve with the US? You can’t have a respectful mutual relationship with someone who sees us like insects. As Imran Khan said, we will have a relationship based on equal mutual respect and nothing else. We, therefore, see a set of puppets now installed in power who don't have such values or demands from the US.
Going back in time, Pakistan immediately stopped the flow of supplies to NATO troops in Afghanistan and ordered the United States to vacate the airbases used by American drones in the country. The Pakistani government also announced that it would boycott the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago.
The US government apologized for this attack and agreed to pay compensation to the families of the soldiers killed when the NATO supply was cut off by the Pakistan Government, and the NATO soldiers in Afghanistan faced struggle due to a shortage of supplies. The apology seemed like a necessity and not an honest one because it came when Pakistan retaliated against the bloodshed of Pakistani soldiers.
The NATO attack in Pakistan killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and wounded an additional 13. It was the deadliest such incident in Pakistan’s history. The United States and NATO initially asserted that the attack was an accident, but the Pakistani government insisted that it was a deliberate assault. The incident resulted in the severing of United States-Pakistan relations and significant tension between the two countries.
In the aftermath of the attack, NATO conceded that it was a mistake and offered its condolences to the Pakistani people. The United States also issued an apology. The two countries have since resumed limited military cooperation.
The FATF hypocrisy
John Pilger coined the chilling term “unpeople” more than a decade ago and regrettably, it is true even today. “Unpeople” refers to millions of people belonging to poor, marginalized countries whose interests do not align with western interests. On June 25, 2021, despite the successful implementation of 26 out of 27 points Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided to keep Pakistan on the grey list.
On 21st October 2021, when Pakistan successfully met the white list criteria, FATF extended the list of criteria against Pakistan and decided to keep it on the grey list. Honestly, the question never was whether will Pakistan be out of the grey list or not; the question was what will FATF do to keep torturing Pakistan for joining the Chinese Camp and the CPEC Project, which doesn’t go in line with the interests of the West. Breaking the chains of slavery was never easy, and Pakistan is paying the price.
“Pakistan remains under increased monitoring (grey list). The Pakistan government has two concurrent action plans, with a total of 34 action plan items. It has now largely addressed 30 of the items,” said Marcus Pleyer, president FATF.
In Hadith, Muhammad ﷺ said, Narrated Thawban:
The Prophet ﷺ said: The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and last enervation into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn (enervation). Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): He replied: Love of the world and dislike of death.
(Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4297)
Allah, the creator of the Universe says that the Quran explains everything:
“…for one Day We shall raise up within every community a witness against them from among themselves. And thee [too, O Prophet,] have We brought forth to bear witness regarding those [whom thy message may have reached], in as much as We have bestowed from on high upon thee, step by step, this divine writ, to make all things clear (i.e., to explain all things), and to provide guidance and grace and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered themselves to Allah.
(Qur’an, al-Nahl, 16:89)
The world government, world economy, and a global currency all function in a single centralized manner, supporting one particular Western race, its actions are relatable to the “one” single eye. In Hadith, Muhammad ﷺ said, “…He is one-eyed while your Lord is not one-eyed…”.
(Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 7408)
As John Perkins says in his book Confessions of an Economic Hitman “Fear and debt. The two most powerful tools of empire… It is not about changing the mechanics of economics. It is about changing the ideas, the dogmas that have driven economics for centuries: debt and fear, insufficiency, divide and conquer”. Today we do not have The East India company invading us, but we do have organizations of Economic control, people in local and international media, and social media who want to damage the case of Pakistan. The powerful have always tried to consolidate their control over the world and not much stands in their way except a few determined countries and individuals, but history teaches us that this is sufficient.
Interference in Pakistani matters and Removal of Imran Khan
Prime minister Imran Khan has been ousted from power after a vote of no confidence in parliament after he took the Pakistani Nation into confidence regarding a threat from the US and blatant interference in the matters of the Pakistani State.
Imran Khan swept to power last year on a wave of populist support. In the end, however, all that he did for Pakistan was not enough, and Khan was toppled in a CIA regime-change operation. Khan accused that the Pakistani opposition was sold out, and they cast a vote of no confidence in line with the threat and conspiracy. The institutions, instead of investigating the threat, got rid of Khan. It is a shameless victory for Khan’s rivals, who are tried and tested alleged puppets of foreign powers, whom the Pakistani people have rejected.
Immediately after the fiasco when the Supreme Court was opened at 12 am among other dramatic things, the Pakistani Nation came out to support Prime Minister Imran Khan. Protests and rallies were seen all over Pakistan. However, the puppet regime blacked out the media, and people turned to social media and ARY to see the happenings on the ground. It will not be an overstatement to say that the Sharif and Bhutto dynasties now control the State Machinery and the Pakistani Media.
Khan was expected to stay on as caretaker prime minister until new elections could be held, but he resigned along with his party MNAs and MPAs who refused to sit with traitors in the Parliament.
Earlier, the National Security Committee concluded that the communication amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable. Today, on 14th April 2022, DG ISPR confirmed the Foreign Interference in Pakistani affairs and the use of undiplomatic language against Pakistan. Addressing a joint session of the Parliament, PM Imran said that the Foreign Office, after a meeting of the National Security Committee, had unanimously decided that Pakistan would not accept any such interference in its internal affairs. Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan is a sovereign country, and no one has the right to interfere in its internal affairs.
Following is the massive gathering of Pakistanis, in which the entire nation came out on roads to support Khan without even a call from Imran Khan:
Here is a photo from the Peshawar Jalsa, where Imran Khan clearly stated that “Who are Americans to forgive us? we are not anyone’s slaves.”
The Pakistani public continues to support Imran Khan. Pakistan has given its verdict, and Imran Khan demands an immediate free and fair General Election in Pakistan. The Nation demands the same. There is a walk of fire to freedom, and Pakistanis are ready to take it.
This time, Pakistanis are not settling for anything other than Imran Khan, who has taught us a life of honor and respect. We will not sell our honor and freedom for fake improvement of dollar rates and stock market fluctuation. These are all exposed and expired propaganda tactics. Pakistan will not kneel.
Pakistan Zindabad.
