India is spending $11 billion on buying arms from US, Russia and others. If they spend one billion on buying weapons from the Pakistani military-industrial complex, they could have a reasonable chance of making peace with a vowed enemy in their backyard.
The eternal enmity that ensued with the partition has caused enough death and destruction in the sub-continent already, and the looming threat of nuclear war makes the future insecure. Some visionary leadership is needed to steer the future clear of this imminent death threat hanging over 1.5 billion lives.
Terrorism being the stumbling block, all efforts at negotiations between India and Pakistan came to naught once again. The suffering of the people and environment were ignored over patriotic ambitions, conspiratorial war-mongering and supremacy. In a conflict between two in-equal entities, initiative rests on the one who is bigger. A proactive approach, that engages Pakistan’s war-machinery in trade, might have some merit in diffusing this hostility that has the potential to produce the deadliest-ever-witnessed disaster, in the history of mankind.
The Krupp of Germany used to sell armaments to many countries that fought wars against Germany. A British company ‘Vickers’ was given the license to make Krupp time-fuses before WW1. Vickers was supposed to pay Krupp a fixed sum for every shell fired. After the defeat of Germany, Krupp claimed that money and settled with the British for a lower amount. There are examples in history on trade of weapons between hostile countries.
Dominance of the army over Pakistan is not a secret. The democratic set-up had to comply when Kerry-Lugar aid bill was disputed by the powers. Political signals of peace with India changed into rhetoric of un-ending war over Kashmir, in plain public view. It is the army of Pakistan that survives and thrives with an anti-India manifesto. Jane Perlez reporting on the extension of service for the ISI chief wrote in New York Times, “The announcement extending the tenure of Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha as director of the spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, was formally made Wednesday by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. But it had been clear for weeks that General Kayani planned to keep General Pasha at his side, and that the weak civilian government would have little choice but to go along with it.”(Report dated March 10, 2010.)
Terrorism in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India is a proxy-war causing immense suffering and death. President Karzai of Afghanistan, on his recent visit to Pakistan said, “Afghanistan does not want any proxy wars on its territory. It does not want a proxy war between India and Pakistan on Afghanistan. It does not want a proxy war between Iran and the United States on Afghanistan. It does not want any country… to engage in any activity against another country in Afghanistan.” (Excerpt from the Dawn report, March 11, 2010.)
Afghanistan sent into oblivion after the defeat of Soviet Union, came back to haunt. No matter how deadly the enmity, no country could be dispatched to hell like that. Let alone a nuclear armed country like Pakistan. Those who patronize the indulgence in terrorism must be engaged in peaceful transaction. USA and China invest heavily in building Pakistan army. India, with the ambitions of becoming a super-power cannot afford to postpone involvement indefinitely. A policy of directly engaging Pakistan army in a lucrative deal could see the end of terrorists who commit carnage across the border.
Mitigating the influence of USA and China in Pakistan requires innovative thinking in terms of Indo-Pak relations. IK Gujral, former Prime Minister of India, explaining his 5 point doctrine at Bandaranaike Center for International Studies in 1997 said, “We need neighbors who are developing at least as fast as we are to avoid imbalances which feed dissatisfaction and political problems.”
Many years ago, a Bangladeshi pharmacist asked me, “Do you know the difference between stupid and crazy?” He went on to explain that stupid will never rip a dollar bill. Only crazy could do that. My humble recommendation is based on the assumption that Pakistan’s military leadership is not crazy and India’s democratic representatives could muster the courage and wisdom required for proactive measures to ensure peace in the region. I could be wrong. After all this is just another cry for peace.
Ibrahim Sajid Malick is a Pakistani-American writer, technologist, and social entrepreneur. He has been writing on Pakistani society and politics since 1986. He has held several media, communications, and technology positions for organizations large and small. Mr. Malick graduated from New School for Social Research with a master’s degree in anthropology. He holds several technology and management certifications. He works for a leading technology firm and blogs at www.ibrahimsajidmalick.com
And what of the money the Pakistan Army will earn by selling weapons to India? Will it be funelled back into training jihadis to cross the border and terrorize Indian citizens? Will it be used to allow the ISI to foment more trouble in Kashmir? Pakistan cannot even guarantee an uniterrupted supply via the IPI pipeline, how could it possibly guarantee supplies from an Islamized Pakistan Army that is nurtured with the destruction of India as its sole objective?
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Dennis Dey
Thanks for commenting on something that feels like a taboo as many avoid discussing it. My point here is that India must play a sizable role in Pakistan compared to US and China. With a billion dollar contract to the Pakistani military industrial complex, Pakistan’s military leadership could be forced in a positive manner. The character Pakistan military has displayed in pleasing those who give them money was evident when Musharraf’s government handed over Pakistanis to the Americans(many innocent) for a few dollars. I have no doubt that assets like Hafiz Saeed could be declared murderers and exterminated by the same army that nurtured them, when such huge sum is involved. The US has tried to snub the Pakistan army rather unsuccessfully by announcing aid in building civilian institutions and infra-structure but that process of making Pakistan army subservient to a strong, sovereign, democratic rule could strengthen if India throws their weight behind it by softening Pak army’s anti-India survival mantra. Peace.
[...] India is spending $11 billion on buying arms from US, Russia and others. If they spend one billion on buying weapons from the Pakistani military-industrial complex, they could have a reasonable chance of making peace with a vowed enemy in their backyard. Should India Buy Weapons from Pakistan? | Pakistani | Pakistani News | Pakistani-American News | Pak… [...]
Very interesting idea- basically you are saying that we should pay-off the thugs, buy the criminals so they don’t bother us. I know it is pretty common to pay the goons but such a huge sum? Maybe we should buy Kayani and Pasha big mansions in Europe and deposit 100 million dollars in their personal bank accounts.
Again, unlikely to work. Uneasy lie the heads that wear Pakistani crowns. Who knows how long Kayani & Pasha will last? Who knows which dictator will once again grab power in Pakistan?
Vikram- I suggested that India should do transaction with Pakistan army. That is the most powerful institution in Pakistan and holds a hegemonic control over the country. You say that India should pay-off a couple of generals. Many Pakistanis insist that Indians have not accepted partition as yet. Pakistan army is an institution and strategic thinking dictates that a policy should of engagement with them would be helpful for long term peace. Kayani retires in 2010 and Pasha just got one year extension.
Dennis Dey
You wrote, “Who knows how long Kayani & Pasha will last? Who knows which dictator will once again grab power in Pakistan?”
Dictators of Pakistan have always come from Pakistan army. Therefore engaging the military-industrial complex in a fruitful business exercise could let India set a foot in. Pakistan accepts drone attacks from Americans within its territory and US operatives conduct raids within Pakistan with local police. How did USA gain this influence?
What possibly India can buy from Pakistan weaponry.
Offcourse, nuclear technology, that Pak has and can trade.
1 bn $ worth of weaponry, from Pak, Indians may not be interested. I do not think Indians are that political savvy to do that.
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The roots of hatred lie in the way Pakistan was created: as a pure state for true believers. A true believer needs an infidel to compare himself/herself to. The infidel is “Hindu” India. The infidel needs to be destroyed. The string of weak leaders that followed after Jinnah died didn’t help matters; the Army stepped in. All Armies need an enemy to focus on: the Indian infidel provided the perfect scapegoat. Every time a military dictator grabbed the reins of power, an unsuccessful war against India was launched, the last being the Kargil adventure. Armies need weapons; weapons deals from super powers provided the lucrative kickbacks for the dictators in power. And so the cycle goes on. Pakistan needs a scapegoat to justify its “true believer” status. The scapegoat is “Hindu” India. It doesn’t matter that the most important people in the Govt. of India are Sikhs and Roman Catholics; a “Hindu” infidel needs to be created and sustained, fanned on by the dictators. Ad infinitum. So the story goes on, unless the Pakistani govt realizes that the focus should be on development and not on jihad against the infidel. But declaring war against the infidel is a popular concept, so I see no reason why that is likely to be abandoned in the near future unless a leader of sufficient vision and stature rises.
Much has also been said about the problem of “Kashmir”. It is no secret that the so-called anti-Indian Kashmiri leaders, (who will never dare stand in elections because they will inevitably lose) are paid by both sides. They visit Pakistan regularly to claim their rewards; meanwhile, they do not refuse the top-category security they are provided by the Govt of India. These anti-India leaders happen to be the richest people in Kashmir. Had successive Pakistani Govts. remained aloof, instead of making Kashmir the cornerstone of the fight against the Hindu infidel, such a sorry state of affairs would not have come to a pass. The “pro-independence” Kashmiri leaders do not dare create an independent state, because they will be instantly killed by the jihadis in Pakistan. They also cannot abjure the fight against India, or else their funds from Pakistan will dry up. So once again, ad infinitum.
I must admit, idea coined by Mr Rashid is interesting. However, its unlikely to work. I am sorry to say that Pakistani army behaves like a prostitute who will sleep with anyone for money and still loyal to no one. No wonder Americans , Saudis and Chinese all are being fooled by Paki army. Indians are clever ” Banias” and will prefer to have a wife rather than a prostitute.
[...] Should India Buy Weapons from Pakistan? | Pakistani | Pakistani … [...]
Dear Mr Rashid:
A quick thought. Though what you suggest is appealing while in theory but frankly India is buying weapons that the country itself cannot manufacture. Presently India is manufacturing and developing world class weapons itself, which you are aware of.
I do not think weapon like Eurofighter Typhoon etc can be manufactured by Pakistan at this point in time. (Even India is taking time to manufacture those) But of course if Pakistan ever does come up with some good home made weapon (not something that is just assembled in Pakistan) the idea is thought provoking. However, I sincerely believe that China and not Pakistan should be and would be what India is thinking as of now.
Yet, what Pakistan should focus is manufacturing components (it could be small auto components or even some small components that could be used in aviation industry). Labour is cheap in Pakistan (as in China and India). And hence gradually Pakistan can first establish itself as a component manufacturer and then explore of making something fully “Pakistani.” The day that happens, and if geo-political situation allows it (IA), India could surely buy components, weapons anything that will help India in development.
Sameer Khan
Thanks for indulging in the idea. “what Pakistan should focus is manufacturing components..”. Agree, but the thrust of my idea that India should play a bigger role for the sake of peace, dictates that India initiates such process. By marking some items/components that could be cheaply manufactured in Pakistan and by ensuring that quality standards are followed, India could start a process of peaceful transaction with Pak army. Peace.
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this would be the dumbest act on idias part. never trust an enemy especially one such as pakistan. their sole existence is to destroy india. one can see clearly hate begets hate. this is why pakistan is justfiabily a failed state. sorry for the poor pakistani people..their leaders past and present are selfish and greedy for their own pockets.
To be very very honest with you guys – India is no longer interested in Pakistan; India is too big for us now – they don’t waste their time trying to hate us, instead, they concentrate on building their growing economy. It’s just us who are lost and behind India – I think we’re just showing the world that we are not capable of much, while India will challenge economical supremacy of the rest of the world tomorrow – it’s only wise we get in favour with the big guys in the neighbourhood.