Begging Bowl Foreign Policy: US Aid to Pakistan

The foreign policies of Pakistan and the United States are quite analogous to each other. Both nations have an infamous history of betraying their allies. That is to say, Pakistan has not been a trustworthy partner for its allies.

The country that has fed and grown at the mercy of the United States has a thankless attitude towards its traditional ally. On the contrary, the US too has used Pakistan as a tool for enhancing its regional hegemony in the sub-continent.

Earlier, Pakistan and especially the Pakistan Army proved to be puppets of the US by providing a base to the US army against the Taliban’s struggle. Despite feeding on US favours and grants, Pakistan had been betraying both the US and Afghanistan by switching sides as per its convenience.

The classic example being Operation Neptune Spear, in which the US Special Forces knocked out its biggest enemy, Osama bin Laden. This event highlights that Pakistan was not loyal to the US either, as it hosted Osama in Abbottabad, Pakistan, for years and later betrayed Osama by providing his tip to the US Army.

Thereby, sowing the seeds of prolonged confrontation within Pakistan as the radical elements cannot trust ‘US-aided Pak Army’. The public opinion in Pakistan is against the United States as well.

Also read: With Pakistan firmly in China’s pocket, Sri Lanka is the new battleground of Asian century

Begging Bowl Foreign Policy: US Aid to Pakistan

Pakistan, which has a namesake democracy, is in reality a military dictatorship. Foreign policy is governed by the monetary interests of the Army Generals, and the democratic leaders are bestowed with the responsibility of reaching out to the global community with a begging bowl. As of November 2022, the United States had delivered $97 million in aid to Pakistan.

In consonance with the “begging bowl foreign policy” of Pakistan, the US has agreed to provide $450 million in assistance to prop up the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fighter fleet. In addition, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided Pakistan with an additional $20 million in humanitarian assistance last month.

At the heart of this development lies the US visit of the outgoing Army Chief of Pakistan, General Qamar Javed Bajwa. The US visit illustrated that, in exchange for the financial aid and exit from the FATF Grey List, the General compromised the national interest of Pakistan.

Also read: A civil war in Pakistan anytime now

The US plan to balkanize Pakistan

The grants will not help Pakistan in any significant way, either. The grants would ultimately fall into the hands of the army at a time when Pakistan is struggling with the threats of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other insurgent groups. This would mean that the grants would be used to curtail dissenting voices inside the country and would lead to a civil war situation.

That is to say, Pakistan will soon meet the fate of its past, and the country, which has been feeding on grants from foreign nations, will balkanize into smaller units. The recent exit of former PM Imran Khan from the stint of power has jolted him to the core.

Imran has been protesting against the government and a faction of the army that has been loyal to the US. This is a clear indication that Imran Khan, who himself enjoys the support of a faction of the military, has been inciting the populace against the government.

Also read: Is America preparing to use Pakistani terror factory against Russia?

In addition, the Pakistan Taliban has ended the ceasefire and is now carrying out aggression against the government and army. To sum up, the populace of Pakistan, which has been suffering from skyrocketing inflation (roughly 26 percent year-on-year in October 2022), low foreign exchange reserves, and a lack of law and order, is garnering support for TTP and other regional groups. Thus, indicating the beginning of a long struggle in Pakistan between various stakeholders.

Further, the public opinion is inclined against the US, and the Army, which has been the puppet of the US will be at the receiving end as the citizens are taking up arms with regional groups against the Army and the government.

US Conspiracy behind granting aids to Pakistan

The generous policy of the US towards Pakistan is opposed to India as well. It aims to destabilise the subcontinent. It has drawn attention to how US has once again trivialised New Delhi’s concerns over military aid to India’s western neighbor Pakistan.

The track record of the Pakistan Army evidently shows that the grants received by the country ultimately fall into the hands of the military establishment and are used against India.

Also read: Why Zimbabweans are pissed about “Mr. Bean” before the crucial match with Pakistan

The issue has been highlighted by Vice Air Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), Former AGD, Centre for Air Power Studies. He said, “Geopolitics is at play here…Pakistan has been getting such aid from the US every now and then. The US has its interests in the region and every country looks after its own interest and will continue to do so. We need to be prepared for this and plan accordingly.”

That is to establish that the US too, like Pakistan, cannot be a trustworthy partner. The US, which claims India to be its most significant strategic partner, has ultimately been reinforcing the capabilities of its enemy.