SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Hussain Haqqani, who has been living under self-imposed exiled in the US since 2012, believes the US government is committing a mistake by selling weapons to Pakistan as they will be used to “fight or menace” India. The nearly USD one billion worth of attack helicopters, missiles and other defense equipment being sold to Pakistan by the US will end up being used in the fight against India instead of being deployed against jihadists, according to a former Pakistani diplomat Hussain Haqqani. The former ambassador has been residing in the US since 2012 after being accused of sending a memo to US Defense Department that asked for help in reining in the Pakistan military. Earlier in a statement Mr Haqqani urged the Pakistan political leadership to give up the “ideological obsession” with Kashmir stating they no longer enjoy the support of the international community in this regard. Meanwhile where Pakistan has long been critical of Indian presence in Afghanistan but Haqqani believes it is entirely based on trade, aid and education ties.
Hussain Haqqani might be right on number of issues but when it comes to recent arms deal , his assertions would have held more weight if during his tenure as Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S he had not wholeheartedly tried to procure similar deals; let alone the extensive military cooperation he did manage to facilitate. Also Mr Haqqani does not criticise the sale of U.S weapons and technology to India, neither their nuclear cooperation. Rather, in his quest to ceaselessly criticise Pakistan’s India policy he damages Pakistan’s legitimate efforts to eradicate terrorism. Hussain might have grudges with Pakistan’s military leadership yet being an independent analyst and an ex-diplomat he must fairly analyze the situation rather than be partial and biased.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
