US wants Pakistan to obey its orders

Press TV has conducted an interview with strategic affairs analyst, Syed Tariq Pirzada, to hear his opinion on this issue. The following is a rough transcription of the interview. 

Press TV: Now why do you think that Pakistani officials have chosen this point to lash out against the US when tensions were already simmering and the US has already said that it is not going to stop its drone attacks, come what may? 

Pirzada: Well actually Pakistan, I would say is still not what I would call lashing out at the United States but they have come out with a statement that clearly tells that the US position is not correct that Pakistan has been and is and will continue to take strong action against the militants and actually the Pakistani air force is continuing to launch operations in the tribal areas. 

So on that point the statement by the US Defense Secretary and the state department all of them are totally baseless. I would be very fair to say this is a clear situation in which the United States wants to have the NATO supply route open and action taken against Haqqani group and at the same time let India play a major role in Afghanistan while tracking Pakistan without saying, but they have said that they have run out of patience which means that they will be opening a flood gate of attacks against Pakistan both in the tribal areas and maybe in other cities as well. 

Press TV: Right Mr. Pirzada with Pakistan now toughening its stance or so it seems regarding the fight against terrorism on its own soil, do you think Pakistan is adopting a good approach as far as being involved in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and bringing the war to what many call a responsible end? 

Pirzada: Actually Pakistan is already investing and also playing a very positive role as far as the reconstruction of Afghanistan is concerned. Pakistan has been offering its good offices to the United States for bringing about reconciliation within Afghanistan but the issue is this, that the United States really does not want Pakistan to play any role as far as the reconciliation and the restoration of peace in Afghanistan is concerned they want their strategic partner India to play that role. 

On the other hand they want a nuclear Pakistan to simply play the role of a stooge or a client state in the region and just listen to United States and follow their timeline in the war against terrorism, follow their strategy in the war against terrorism and they do not realize one thing that Pakistan is a country of many, many nationalities and if we take actions as for the direction of the United States every time in the tribal areas without considered, without careful strategy we will have our own population rising against the federation. 

So they do not care for the integrity of Pakistan but at the same time they want all the actions taken under duress and with clear, you know, signs of threats that we will open floodgates of attacks against Pakistan. 

Press TV: So where do you see these tensions headed the Pakistani public is of course wanting the Pakistani government to sever ties with Washington because of its drone strikes and interference within the regional affairs and Pakistan’s own internal affairs? 

The government right now is toughening its position with regards to how much Washington can have a say as far as a fight against terrorism on its soil goes but at the end of the day as you mentioned Pakistan has invested a lot in Afghanistan and its reconstruction as well as the war that is going on there but with America looking to isolate Pakistan wouldn’t this just make more troubles for Pakistan in the days to come? 

Pirzada: absolutely it will make more trouble for Pakistan but the issue is this, what are the choices of Pakistan? Either simply surrender to the United States, follow the US troops in its soil, allow the US troops operate on its soil, just let the NATO supplies resumed without any cost attached to that and at the same time act as a client state for the United States while India enjoys the dominant position in the region? 

And again there is no role for Pakistan in the US strategy as far as the restoration of peace in Afghanistan is concerned. 

So considering 40,000 Pakistani deaths in the war against terror, 70 to 80 billion dollars worth of economic losses, the United States has almost forgotten everything and they just think about themselves and nobody else. 

So if Pakistan enters neutrality with Washington at the present time the best Pakistan can do is to simply continue its war against terror according to its own plan but you know the Pakistan sovereignty has been violated and there is no nation that can surrender on that issue.