Pakistan’s Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa’s visit to the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst is seen by many experts and analysts as a shift towards the Western Bloc. According to a journalist Haider Mehdi, who is based in Canada views the visit as an “personal image improvement exercise” of Pakistan. Another exiled journalist Taha Siddiqui also gave a statement saying that it is a shame on British Military to invite Bajwa as a chief guest. General Bajwa has also met top military officials, intelligence agencies and dignitaries in United Kingdom. Bajwa is reported to have visited the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for monetary help and support.
Pakistan, like Sri Lanka is on the verge of being bankrupt. It is battered by a strong economic hardship. The Pakistani Rupee has been tarnished and its value has seen a decline. It is repeatedly seeking Bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The recent bailout package was of six billion dollars. Pakistan has described its relation with China as “All-Weather Friends” and Iron Brothers. It is also a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) the core area being the CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor).
China’s OBOR (One Belt One Road) has begun to falter gradually. The All-Weather Friend and Iron Brother ironically is unable to help Pakistan in overcoming the “Debt Trap”. It has stopped all funding to Pakistan. Pakistan’s armed forces have been in tatters ever since Imran Khan regime. Numerous sanctions have been imposed on Pakistan by the West/NATO countries.
Bajwa is trying to balance his nation’s fulcrum by managing good ties with China on one hand and with the West on the other hand. The Pakistan Army and its sinister intelligence agency called ISI (Inter Service Intelligence) has committed grave human rights abuses and killings in their own nation. Its actions generally involve tortures, kidnappings of political activists from various areas.
A potential storm is brewing in Pakistan. The Pakistan Armed Forces are primarily dominated by Punjabis. They ill- treat all other ethnic groups of their country. The people of Gilgit Baltistan Region are rebelling against the actions of Pakistan Government. The Pakistan Province of Balochistan and its Baluch inhabitants have started a guerrilla war against the Pakistani Authorities. Sikhs and Hindus place of worship are desecrated, and they face forceful conversion along with persecution.
In border areas with Afghanistan, it faces a clash with rebel Pashtuns (Pathans) on its own side as well as from Taliban backed Pashtuns in Afghan territory. The Durand Line conundrum is a classic example. The ISI are known for their use of “cross border terrorism tactics” against India. They share China’s strategy of “Bleeding India with Thousand Cuts”. However, they have not been successful in their policies so far due to India’s resilient and superior efforts.
