In the eyes of the Pakistani generals and Modi Sarkar, Imran Khan’s biggest sin is not saying ‘absolutely not’ to the Americans, but calling Modi a ‘chai wala’ (tea wendor).
Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi may well be the architects, but the plan to sell Pakistani assets to attract Indian investment was started by the military junta led by Bajwa.
Imran Khan was, however, kept in the dark. It’s quite normal in Pakistan, where the real power is held by the military. For this same reason, Imran Khan was not allowed to form the government, irrespective of getting popular mandate by a vast majority. Imran Khan is seen as someone, who won’t come onboard this deceitful plan serving the few at the top, at the cost of the poor. The Military Junta, sees it as their ‘strategic compulsion’ to throw the most popular leader of the country in jail on fictitious charges.
The narrative to fit this plan was initiated by the ISPR around 2018. The army chief telling journalists that “our tanks have rusted and we need peace” is no coincidence. Gen Bajwa’s desperation to return Abhinandan fits this hypothesis. The Kartarpur Corridor was a step in the same direction.
Modi Sarkar is fully, yet discreetly, onboard this venture, reaping the political benefits of controlling a perceived enemy. What happened in AJK recently, benefiting Modi’s re-election across the LOC, fits this hypothesis. Acknowledging Modi’s influence in Pakistan just yet won’t play in his favor since he taunts his opposition for being Pakistan’s B team.
Investing in Pakistan is a strategic decision. Indian steel tycoons want access to ore in Afghanistan via road. A gas pipeline from Tajikistan is also only possible if India has controlling stakes in Pakistan.
Indian firms set up in the Middle East with Arab partners are perfect deceptive fronts for this investment to overcome the political complications.
Pakistani Military Inc., followed by the Sharif and Zardari family and friends enterprises, will be the biggest beneficiaries of this international merger. Small and medium Pakistani enterprises will be the losers here.
The military junta requires a bogeyman to justify its mammoth existence and influence. But India can’t fit that traditional role anymore under these circumstances. Hence, Pakistan is working overtime to turn Afghanistan into an enemy to fit that role. The US seems onboard. US drones are busy striking targets in Northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan from bases in Pakistan, serving this purpose.
What’s in it for the US is yet to be seen. In the meantime, China is fully engaged with the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Does that ring a bell?
The Pakistan Army would essentially become a policing force, a role it is adhering to right now as well. After establishing peace this way, tourism would become the biggest business as envisaged by GHQ. That’s why a hostile takeover of the government guest houses and hospitality industry by the military is underway.
In this game of chess, the pawns are only serving the kings and queens. An age-old story, in an era of social media, is unfolding through deception, where old foes are looking to become friends, and friends would be the new foes.
