A quote by Confucius:
主忠信。毋友不如己者。過，則勿憚改。
Translation:
“Be loyal and trustworthy. Do not befriend anyone who is lower than yourself in this regard. When making a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.”
Well, it was suspected by Pakistan that the Americans were hand in glove with India while surgical strikes were carried out. Immediately after the strikes were executed NSA of US, Susan Rice reiterated her expectation from Pakistan to act against UN designated terrorists and organizations including LeT, JeM and their affiliates.
Then came the Russian ambassador’s statement welcoming strikes by India. Explaining Russia’s stand he stated that ‘every country has the right to act in self-defence. Elaborating further he explained that the joint military exercises of Russia with Pakistan is based on the theme of ‘Anti-Terror fighting’.
Answering a Pakistani journalist, the President of UNSC categorically refused even to comment on ‘whether the issue of Kashmir, Indo-Pak tensions and India’s surgical strikes across LoC’ would be discussed in the UNSC or not. Of course, he is the Russian ambassador to UN is only incidental (?).
Ryszard Czarnecki, VP of European Parliament went a step further and said “India deserves global support in its fight against terror emanating from Pakistan, for if left unchecked, these individuals and groups would be attacking Europe and the West, soon,” Quoted verbatim from the report.
Contrary to all these was the stand of China on extending the technical hold on declaring Masood Azhar as a designated terrorist by UN.
Well, the whole world knows China is the best friend of Pakistan and China needs Pakistan’s cooperation to successfully complete CPEC so that they can access Arabian Sea port through land.
In the face of rising incidents of Islamic terrorism within mainland China, China still supported its old friend. Well, it is good one supports his friend, especially when their support was very much needed. And Pakistan needs China’s support now, more than ever.
In between came a beautiful observation from former President, dictator and Army Chief of Pakistan, General Musharraf. Notoriously, he noted that ‘Democracy was not cut out for Pakistan’. Drug Junkies under the flyovers of Mumbai also feels that ‘Milk was not meant for him, but only Heroin’.
Funnily though what Musharraf failed to camouflage was the fact that ‘Pakistan was not cut out for Democracy’. And why? Ever since it came into existence, Pakistan became the negative alter ego of India.
The guilty feeling that stagnated and accumulated over centuries in the hearts of aristocratic Muslims in India was worrying about their future in the independent India that would become – democratic.
When they carved out the new nation based on the religious identity and further strengthened the stranglehold of religion over the nascent state of Pakistan, the accumulated guilt was trying to protect itself, from itself. After all, real life is not simple mathematics and not necessarily two wrongs could be united to become correct!
In the obsession with hating India for everything they wanted but could not get, they degraded themselves since the day they became an independent nation.
Pakistan became a nation that started believing the very purpose of its existence is to oppose India. And, the corrupt and greedy Army further ruined the growth of Pakistan by restricting its evolution into a genuine democratic republic.
It is a fact that the Army of Pakistan as well as the Political establishment of Punjab promoted the religious preachers to such an extent, the mullahs started believing in their invincibility. And the results are there for everyone to see.
Musharraf should have acknowledged the fact that the never subsiding greed of Pakistan’s generals that prevented democracy from entrenching roots in Pakistan. The history of Pakistan is dotted with periodical coups by its generals, who never had guts to continue their rule.
Unlike Saddam Hussain, who despite being a dictator ensured his people (except Kurds and his opponents) prosper well in comparison with Iraq’s neighbouring nations. All Pakistani general could do was to create more disturbance within their country and allowing the religion to spread its tentacles curbing the growth of reasoning within the society, hampering its growth in intellectual and economic terms.
Pakistan today stands as an example of a failed society and it has only its generals to blame, for all negative things said and done in Pakistan including the loss of many soldier’s lives.
It is not that China is unaware of these facts. But, it seems China is at cross-roads and could not decide which way it should go.
Many reports suggested China blocked tributary of Brahmaputra only to teach a lesson to India in the wake of India reconsidering Indus Water Treaty.
The fact is Lalho project, arguably the costliest one so far conceived by China in Tibet started in June 2014 and was expected to be commissioned in 2019. Well, India objected to it since the days of Manmohan Singh, but it appears even Narendra Modi’s friendship with Chinese Premier could not change the decision by Chinese government.
In a way, that is how any country prioritizes things; by considering their own requirements first. Though China needs Indian markets for their produce, it didn’t stop the hydro project over Xiabuqu.
China is also worried of the security threats to the CPEC from Balochs who opposed the corridor. Though Pakistani Army is entrusted with providing security to thousands of Chinese workers, Chinese apprehensions have increased over the security issues in the recent past.
To be fair to China, it is in a Catch 22 situation, with CPEC project already entering execution stage. It cannot risk going back on CPEC risking the entire investment done so far. On the other hand, increasing opposition from Balochs to the project poses a grave security threat.
Worse, China knew of the drawbacks of Pakistani Army, especially in failing at surprise attacks by terrorists. As Allah Nazar, head of BLF (Balochistan Liberation Front) vowed to target CPEC, China is uncomfortable at the inadequacies of Pakistani Army.
Yet, for the time being China supported Pakistan like a good friend and extended technical hold against India’s proposal to declare Azhar a designated terrorist.
Though China realizes by now how the world is almost united against Pakistan for its failure in curbing local grown terrorists, China simply hopes they restrict to killing themselves without harming Chinese working in Pakistan.
Then, the question that comes to one’s mind is how China would be using CPEC, when the project is completed, for the problem of terrorism would remain.
Despite CPEC and hydro project on Brahmaputra’s tributary, the need between China and India is mutual, unlike the relationship between China and Pakistan. It is time for China to take out the cloak of Maoism and behave like what it truly is – a capitalistic society with values accumulated over thousands of years.
The communist pretension of knowing, but not acknowledging problem may not serve it in future and it may harm its people and economy if it continues to engage with Pakistan.
It is time for Chinese leadership to pause and reflect on their own actions in the light of the wisdom etched in the annals of history by philosophers like Confucius. It is time to introspect their friendship with Pakistan and of course, North Korea and acknowledge their mistakes.
At present, despite being the nation that controls world economy it doesn’t command respect in the world. China should realize muscle power and money power cannot bring respect, especially in international politics. Only then, they can change the course of history.
It is time for China to choose Confucius over Communism and its charade of camaraderie with Pakistan.
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