Major non-NATO Ally?

Puffing the zephyr of horizons of Pakistan -” with a lot of fragrant allures -” the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell took off for his next destination, the Middle East Thursday -” as a part of his hottest voyage to South Asia -” the most sensitive realms of the global Atlas.

While in Islamabad, the cogent voice of the Bush administration showered as many flora of fragrance, aroma n’ cologne on Pakistan -” as he could do, a facet which, was pragmatically never rayed by Washington -” ever in the past.

To be explicit, while in New Delhi, the US Secretary of State focused his perceptions -” very overtly -” on the so-called ‘infiltration’ in India held-Kashmir -” yet during his chat with newsmen on the soils of Pakistan was filled with zest of ‘keen desire of his country to have long-term ties with Pakistan and hoped the current Pak-India dialogue will lead to resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute.’ [What a fabulous style of fascinating n’ captivating diplomacy?]

Yet another news, Colin Powell broke to the world was the first time acknowledgement by the United States with its ‘desire for a long-term strategic relationship with Pakistan and towards this, the decision to make it a major non-NATO ally’ -” yet with no exact time-frame for the innovative phrase -” like the ‘roadmap’ -” added in the political glossary, just freshly at the behest of the United States [at the outset an axiom, solitarily meant for the Middle East, which surfaced as a follow-up for South Asia].

With gargantuan gratitude for the Powell, we deem it apposite to quote his words, which he very munificently articulated; “We have been involved in a long-term partnership with Pakistan for many years and I believe that in the current environment we have every opportunity to strengthen that relationship in strategic ways as we move forward. I advised the foreign minister this morning that we will also be making notification to our Congress that will designate Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally (MNNA) for purposes of our future military-military relations."

The MNNA was shaped back in 1989 and Pakistan will obviously be the fourth Muslim country [if at-all it so happens] after Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain to become a member. Some of the other countries in this club include Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia.

If n’ when this status is ‘bestowed’, it would make Pakistan eligible for priority delivery access to defense articles, stockpiling of military hardware, purchase of depleted uranium for anti-tank rounds, cooperation in defense and research programmes plus the loan facilities.

Analyzing the words of Powell, one feels absolutely swayed that of-late, the United States has turned too generous towards Pakistan. It is a common perspective that -” by n’ large -” such a yawning love comes from Washington -” only with peculiar intent n’ objectives. To add, it -” paradoxically -” remains restricted to ‘words’ only rather than turning such a vision or ‘dream’ translated into a reality.

To recapitulate, we would jog your memory to the Camp David Accord, Mr. Secretary, wherein a magnificent package was set off for Pakistan after a face-to-face or one-to-one interaction between President Musharraf n’ President Bush. It remains, nothing more than an expectation or a probability -” to date.

Going by the index of the history, a momentous, in fact a vital, crucial and critical facet, which surfaces is that US has never been a upright n’ steadfast friend [of Pakistan] in the gone-bye epoch and it’s, as some egalitarians envision, highly implausible that it shall be so -” even in the times ahead.

Even then, amid his visit to Pakistan, we hope that not only that the newest pledges -” beamed by Mr. Powell -” shall be fulfilled without any delay, but -” simultaneously -” the previous oaths vis-à-vis Pakistan shall be accomplished -” without any delay or impediments -” clearing the mature backlog.

We would like to recap that an awful facet -” very well known to the US -” whereby Pakistan did extend unreserved help to the United States in its’ fight against terrorism, which, by now is still being seen by the Bush administration’s stalwarts with mistrust [despite the loss of precious and lovely lives in a Wana episode(s) -” still going on unabated] and albeit being acquainted with the veracity that the Pakistan had sided with the Washington against the wishes of its’ masses -” which, in some circles persists even today.

The proceedings of Pakistan’s Senate n’ National Assembly stand as clear as crystal as a witness to the veracity, where the Opposition -” irrespective of any specific leaning or proclivity towards a meticulous political party -” stages frequent walk-outs against the Wana events -” almost every day. Yet, setting aside all such milieus, the government is resolute to weed-out terrorism, in its’ all forms n’ manifestations, in line with the US-led crusade towards the pest of terrorism. Isn’t it adequate testimony about Pakistan’s sincerity?

As a matter of fact, Pakistan has suffered a lot as an upshot of its support to the US war on terror in Afghanistan, yet by now, it has got nothing in return via eye-catching n’ clear-cut and categorical terms -” except ‘plain n’ promises’. Eventually, it’s hoped that Powell will make sure the realization of all the commitments, made by US with Pakistan by keeping in mind the magnitude of its’ sniffles n’ dilemmas rather than being more demanding [beyond one’s mind eye] the moment he gets back home -” the abode of the Statute of Liberty.

A gaze n’ glance on the episodes of the recent past would unveil the fact that most of the US ventures by n’ large have been abortive, virtually taking a shape of turbulent turmoil in place of enormous respects, regards n’ veneration, which is ought to be the authentic right of the solitary super-power -” the United States. Just have a look on the realms like Afghanistan n’ Iraq, which are still camouflaged with haziness without an obvious forceful flash [of affluence] for the near future.

With words of adore and eulogize for Secretary Powell for his marvelous plans n’ pledges for Pakistan, we would like to ring a bell to the government of Pakistan not to over-react or be melodramatic -” at least till the time -” Washington makes an evolution or a headway on its’ elfin or hefty assures -” in entirety.

At the same time we are ought to keep a vigilant watch on the actuality, being aired most exclusively by the United States and of-late by India. We, by all means, all-the-time have to keep in mind, intellect n’ brain power -” an entrenched realism, the general elections in the two countries -” environ wherein an optimal digit of sympathizers with their own faith or family(s) dwelling [abroad or on the locales n’ vicinities of a state] is pre-requite, [to win-over] -” as a human psyche.

With this acuity, we are to ensure that in no case -” Pakistan is exploited by any nauseating realm -” for ones’ peculiar n’ ephemeral motifs -” in any mode or manner. The raison d’être is -” ‘Pakistan comes First’, a gallant n’ pragmatic slogan, vow n’ dictum, for which the nation is all set to make sacrifice of any echelon to shield its’ dignity, honor and sovereignty -” at all costs.