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ANALYSIS OF MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS AND INCIDENTS IN THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN PEOPLE'S PARTY (2008-2013)
MUHAMMAD AKRAM UL HAQ1, DR. ASIA SAIF ALVI2 1Ph.D. Scholar of Politics and International Relations University of Sargodha, Pakistan akram.exams@pu.edu.pk 2Assistant Professor Department of Politics and International Relations University of Sargodha, Pakistan
Abstract
This research examines Pakistan's foreign policy towards the United States of America, providing an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of Pakistan's national security during the tenure of President Asif Ali Zardari from 2008 to 2013. The objective of this study is to investigate Pakistan's foreign policy in the government of the Pakistan People's Party towards the USA that significantly affects the national security of Pakistan and to explore the challenges and opportunities in Pak-USA relations. This study focuses on Pakistan's relations with the United States and examines their political, socioeconomic and military interactions with a particular emphasis on the foreign policy and national security of Pakistan. This study adopted historical, descriptive and analytical research methods along with empirical and qualitative assessments of the available data on the topic to conduct this research. Zardari government's foreign policy was very weak and unclear towards the USA, as there were many vicissitudes throughout the history of Pakistan-USA relations, which have led to the phenomena of trust and mistrust as well as perceptions and misperceptions between both countries. The current study examines both internal and external security challenges pertaining to the national security of Pakistan in relationships with the USA and their impact on and consequences for the foreign policy of Pakistan. This dissertation identified significant incidents, events and developments that connected and disconnected the Pakistan and United States relations.
INTRODUCTION
This research gives an overview of the major developments and incidents which affect Pakistan-US relations. Major incidents during the Zardari govt. were alarming for Pakistan, however, the political wisdom of Asif Ali Zardari boost the country smoothly during the aftershocks of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan. The Zardari govt. had deal terrorism, extremism, an economic and political crisis, a gulf in civil-military relations, threats from Afghanistan and India, a negative perception of Pakistan as a terrorist state internationally, an untold number of murders, an energy crisis, a poor situation of law and order and a lack of trust between Pakistan and the United States. The USA Administration and think tanks recognized the Pakistan's significance as a significance ally, therefore USA interested in developing a long-term, practical engagement with Pakistan even after the withdrawal of NATO soldiers under USA command from Afghanistan. Major incidents have had a crucial impact on Pakistan's foreign policy. This article focused on the major incidents and developments in the government of the Pakistan People's Party from 2008 to 2013. This research attempted to identify some of these incident's negative effects on Pakistan's economy, politics, society and mental health because lack of economic progress and effective government have damaged the nation's reputation and badly impacted its chances for prosperity, peace and stability (Abbasi, 2013).
MAJOR INCIDENTS IN THE GOVT. OF PAKISTAN PEOPLE'S PARTY (2008-2013)
In 2008, ten paramilitary Frontier Corps and eight taliban fighters in Pakistan's tribal areas were killed in an airstrike by the NATO drone air strike at Gora Parai on the Pak-Afghan Border during the clashes between USA alliance forces and militants from the Pakistani Taliban. (The World Report, 2010). The relationship weakened between the two countries because Pakistan observed this military
airstrike as an act of aggression but immediately after the drone strikes, the USA declared Pakistan as a key ally in the fight against terrorism. Western officials have said Pakistan's military aid nearly 70% was misused which was given by USA from 2002 to 2007. However, these relationships were transactional and the United States has been providing covert military assistance to Pakistan for many years. The air strike was criticized as unprovoked and cowardly by Pakistan's military, which added "it had hit at the basis of cooperation" in the war on terror (Belfast Telegraph, 2008). These air strike developed gap between Pakistan-USA.
On September 20, over fifty people were killed in a big truck bomb attacked on Islamabad Marriot hotel, which developed fear among the international visitors and Pakistani people. In Marriot Hotel attack fifty-three people killed including two Americans, Czech ambassador and hundreds were injured (The Nation, 2011). The Marriot Hotel was an international Hotel, therefore on the same day Pakistani high officials arranged a meeting but on Intelligence based report they just changed the venue before happening this incident. The USA and Pakistan condemned this terrorist attacked and aimed to crush.
On 03 September, USA Special Forces in Afghanistan conducted a raid in Angoor Ada, South Waziristan (Mazzetti & Schmitt, 2008). This raid was questioned on Pakistan's sovereignty that breached and further instability was created because of USA attack in Angoor Adda (Akhter, 2008). It was the first time, American troops fought with the Taliban on the ground-based battle inside Pakistani territory. The raid took place when Pakistani military troops were putting an end to a four-week fight in Bajaur, the northern Agency of FATA, which has caused five lac people left their homes (Asia Times Online, 2008). In response of Angoor Adda raid, on September 6, in retaliation to the raid, Pakistan closed a fuel supply route for American and other western soldiers those who fighting in Afghanistan. Pakistan's defense minister said that "We promised them we would do something and today we did something. The supply of oil has been stopped and this will demonstrate how serious we are" (Reuters, 2008). This incident another threat for Pakistan's sovereignty and relations were changed from cooperation to stress. The Pakistani people, official and military criticized and aimed to defend Pakistan's repute.
From 2008 to 2013, when the Zardari government was in power, Pakistan was experienced violence and terrorist attacks in both tribal and urban areas, which resulted uncountable killing and injuring of Pakistani civilians. The lost in terrorism can be calculated in figures of deaths, caused by drone strikes, ethnic, political and sectarian violence, target killings and terrorist attacks (The Express Tribune, 2013). The figures reported by the Interior Ministry are different because most likely they do not include the number of people killed by militants, law enforcement personnel or members of the armed forces.
Table 1: Datasheet depicted in the form of a table in order to see the terrorist
attacks in Pakistan from 2008 to 2013
Year No. of Attacks Killed Injured
2008 2,577 7,997 9,670
2009 3,816 12,632 12,815
2010 3,393 10,003 10,283
2011 2,985 7,107 6,736
2012 2,217 5,047 5,688
2013 911 4160 3,794
Total 15,899 46,946 48,986
Sources: www.satp.org Due to terrorist attacks, which resulted the clashes between security forces and terrorists, operational attacks by security forces, suicide attacks, sectarian violence and clashes, ethno political violence, target killings, including through drone strikes and political targeting and human losses
created the gap between civilians and the government under the Zardari administration (Abbasi, 2013). The figures of killed and injured peoples and no of attacks shown in the table below: Table 2: Suicide Attacks in Pakistan (2008-2013)
Year No. of Attacks Killed Injured
2008 63 967 2130
2009 87 1299 3633
2010 68 1187 2926
2011 45 676 1462
2012 33 239 413
2013 32 596 1100
Total 328 4964 11664
Source: PIPS security Reports 2008-2012, South Asian Terrorism Portal and NCMC The terrorist attacks on the country's strongest security and target its most important organizations has increased in the Zardari government and caused worries about Pakistan's security and the reliability of its security forces, particularly the military and police (Khan, 2008). The rising level of violence was a difficult challenge for Pakistan People's Party government from 2008 to 2013. A major factor of terrorism and insecurity has contributing to declining the interest by foreign investors in Pakistan. Drone strikes by the CIA destabilize and weaken the terrorist groups and limiting their capacity to carry out further attacks. Various legal bodies rejected drone attacks because drone attacks resulted of deaths and without a declaration of war and due legal process. Additionally, covert drone strikes were condemned by Zardari govt. due to the casualties of people because they have not options for justice or compensation. Therefore, the USA's drone operations in FATA was accelerated from 2008-2013 and CIA expanded its use of signature strikes. It suggested that the CIA had the authority to carry out attacks against individuals who displayed signs of being terrorists. (Miller, 2012). Consequently, Pakistan-USA relations weakened in the government of Pakistan People's Party in 2011 due to drone strikes in the government of Zardari, which harmed the Pakistan's security, integrity and developed a trust deficit gap between Pakistan and USA. In Zardari government, the use of UAVs, "drones," has become commonplace because drones reduce the cost of war in terms of casualties. The drones are an official secret operation, therefore the CIA operated supervised operations by drones. According to one estimate, there were 118 drone strikes were launched in 2010, which is more than in the six years. Through the first nine months of 2011, sixty further drone strikes were registered (Bergen, 2010). The Zardari government and the people of Pakistan frequently criticized the drone strikes, which violated Pakistan's sovereignty and developed strong anti-American sentiments among the Pakistani people but most observers think that the Zardari government has inadvertently approved the drone strikes and even provided the intelligence support. Despite widespread recognition of UAV attacks were tactically successful, a more cautious use of the UAV strategy became worried and these aggressive strikes aggravating an already stressed relationship with the Zardari government and may put the country at risk of destabilization (Entous, et al., 2011). The United States prefers to use drones as weapons in the twenty-first century (Bergman & Tiedemann, 2011). The deployment of drones still favored by the American people because it enables the country to conduct anti-terrorist operations without risking the lives of American military. Despite of all these, the drones not only hit the militants but also was a threat to Pakistan's sovereignty and national security.
The incident relating Pakistani Christian Asiya Noreen, known as Asia Bibi, occurred in the government of Pakistan People's Party on June 14, 2009, while she was working alongside a few Muslim female coworkers in Muhammad Idrees in phalsa fields. They argued about a drink of water that the accused had offered to her coworkers but they had turned down. They consequently had a heated exchange of words that their coworkers afterwards claimed to be blasphemous against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). After their shift at work, two women, Mafia Bibi and Asma Bibi, returned home and spoke with Qari Muhammad Salaam, the wife of the local mosque's imam, about the situation before filing a complaint against Asiya Bibi. The incident of Asia Bibi developed gap between the Christian community and Muslims. On June 19, 2009, five days later, the complainant summoned the
defendant in front of a huge crowd and questioned her about the incident and her profane words. She allegedly admitted her guilt or wrongdoing in front of the group and asked for forgiveness. However, the claimant did not accept her apologies, so she went to the police with a complaint. As a result, Asia Bibi was taken into custody the same day as the FIR was filed. She was the first woman to receive the death sentence under Pakistan's blasphemy laws and her case brought the country's laws to the attention of the world's media (Kakar, 2023). Zardari was prepared to award a pardon but the High Court imposed a stay order that was still in effect today, which preventing the President from doing so in favor of Asia. In January 4, 2011, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab shot by his own security guard in Islamabad. The guard, Mumtaz Qadri was one of the Punjab Elite Force, shouted "Allah-o-Akbar" and shot Taseer, the governor of Punjab emptied in two magazines. Later, Qadri claimed that Taseer's criticism on the blasphemy law was the reason behind his murder. Salman Taseer, was killed when a member of his own security team shot him twenty-six times in broad daylight (Kronstadt, 2011). The occurrence of Taseer's death developed fear among the high profile personalities and raised question on their security.
The Raymond Davis incident took place under Zardari govt. had an effect on relations between Pakistan and the USA. On January 27, 2011, Raymond Davis was a CIA contractor and an American who was working at the USA Consulate in Lahore for CIA secret missions in FATA to track militants. Davis shot and killed two persons in broad daylight before being arrested by local police. After few days, USA govt. acknowledged that Raymond Davis was a CIA contractor in Pakistan and identified as "our diplomat" (Reuters, 2011). Davis diplomatic immunity protected him from prosecution when Islamabad fell into intense political pressure from America. After giving to the relatives of the victims $2.3 million in term of "diyat," or "blood money," under Islamic Law, he was released and allowed to leave the country (Los Angeles Times, 2011). During the time when Davis case was proceeded in Pakistan, the relations between Pakistan and USA were based on trust deficit and misperception. Another incident in the government of Pakistan People's Party was occurred in March 2, 2011, when the gunmen trapped the car of Minorities Minister Shabaz Bhatti, the federal cabinet's Christian member shot him to death. Bhatti had long campaigned for tolerance towards Pakistan's religious minorities and had like Governor Taseer, openly called for reform of the blasphemy laws. His killers left pamphlets at the scene that was warning against such changes (U.S. Embassy, 2011). An attempt shift the blame to internal disputes among Christians. This incident in Pakistan People's Party government also developed internal and external tensions among the minorities and Pakistan-USA relations.
The history of Islamabad-Washington relations mostly based on mistrust and misperception. A lack of confidence and divergence of interests developed a mistrust and obstacles between the two former political and security relationships. In May 2, 2011, when American helicopters landed in Abbottabad to begin an operation to capture Osama Bin Laden from his hiding spot. This incident during the Zardari government, badly breached the sovereignty and national security of Pakistan. The USA Special Forces detained and murdered the most wanted terrorist in the world at a hiding place in Abbottabad, which was only 0.5 miles from Pakistan's Military Academy. After a successful 45-minute operation commanded by the Navy SEALs, the USA Special Operations Forces quickly returned to their bases in Afghanistan. This operation was uninformed about the raid to Pakistan's civilian and military leadership (Kronstadt, 2011). This operation was attacked on the Pakistan's sovereignty and national security of Pakistan. The government of Pakistan condemned a lot and criticized but it happened. Another incident occurred in 22 May, 2011, during the tenure of the Pakistan People's Party government when a group of armed militants attacked Pakistan's Mehran Naval Station near Karachi and took control of the country's most important naval base before destroying two P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that had been supplied by the United States in their hangar (Perlez, 2011). Ten security officers and four terrorists were killed in the subsequent 16-hour firefight before Pakistani commandos retook control of Mehran naval base and two more militants were believed to have escaped. The attack was carried out in revenge of Laden's killing. The security forces came under harsh criticism from the most pro-military Pakistani media. This attack caused such destruction and Pakistan's nuclear weapons and materials were also called into doubt (Reuters, 2011).
A former Navy commando was arrested in connection to involve in the attack within days. In an unusual move for the Pakistani military, three navy officers, including the base commander faced court-martial proceedings on allegations of carelessness related to the attack (Agence France Presse, 2011). This act was the Taliban's retaliation for killing of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad by American Special Forces. This incident during the Zardari govt. affected Pakistan's foreign policy and prompted concerns about the country's national security. This happening causes a lack of trust between the USA and Pakistan People's Party government. In May 29, 2011, Syed Saleem Shahzad was an investigative journalist, disappeared and accused of having tortured by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), after he published an article claiming that the Pakistan Navy carried out the Mehran strike in an effort to clean out Al Qaeda cells. According to the reports, Shahzad had repeatedly received threats from the ISI because of his work, which regularly upset the establishment of Pakistan, despite of this in a press release ISI strongly condemned over Saleem's murder after the investigation on Shahzad's murder was started in June. Later, unidentified USA officials said that there was enough secret information to draw the conclusion that senior ISI officers had ordered the vicious assault on Shahzad in an effort to quiet critics. Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the USA Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated publicly that the Zardari government approved the killing of Shahzad (Perlez, 2011). Saleem Shahzad, a Pakistani journalist was murdered in May 2011. According to USA admiral Mike Mullen, the Zardari government sanctioned and carried out the murder of this journalist (Washington Post, 2011). The Zardari government's relations with the USA have become strained as a result of this incident.
The Memogate Scandal also known as the Mullen memo scandal, increased tensions between the military and Pakistan People's Party government as well as between the military and the USA. A memo went unanswered and caused controversy in October 2011 was known as "Memo Gate". In 2009, the military had asked for Haqqani's dismissal, due to his active involvement in the Kerry-Lugar aid. Nawaz Sharif, the head of the opposition, petitioned the Supreme Court in November 2011, set up a judicial committee to look into the matter and resolve any ambiguity or doubt regarding the Memo Gate. As a result of this action, the court and military attacked the Zardari government (Akhtar, 2017). On October 10, 2011, American-based businessman Mansoor Ijaz referred to a confidential Memo in a piece he had written for The Financial Times of London. He claimed that Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States had given him the order to provide Obama with a classified document asking for support to Zardari government. The document was written by Hussain Haqqani at the request of President Asif Ali Zardari and sent to "Admiral Michael Mullen by the US National Security Advisor to President Obama". The Memo Gate scandal, which developed the tense relationship between the PPP and the US administration was one of the most challenging issues of the PPP government. The PPP government disputed the claim and labeled it a "total fiction" and malicious. Consequently, after opposition leaders condemned the memo gate incident, there is less trust between the military and the government.
In this article, the incidents occurred in the Zardari government from 2008 to 2013 have observed and these incidents generated a huge gap between Pakistan and USA. Another incident occurred in the government of Pakistan People's Party when two NATO helicopters and fighter jets attacked the two checkpoints in November 26, 2011 and crossed the border nearly 2.5 km with PakistanAfghanistan territory and began firing randomly at checkpoints. Consequently, twenty-four people have died and fourteen more Pakistani military personnel injured (Sadaf & Akhtar, 2021). The deliberately or undeliberately killing of Pakistani armed forces born an adversary element in the minds of Pakistani army and Pakistan People's Party government and Pakistan posed a retaliation position against this happening and Pakistan condemned and criticized on this loss. Another instance in the tenure of Pakistan People's Party government was the Salala Check-Post incident that created tensions between the Zardari government and USA while simultaneously strengthening ties between the military and Pakistan People's Party government. In Pakistan's tribal region, Salala mountain situated in the Baizai district of Mohmand Agency. The Pakistan military built two checkpoints at Pakistan-Afghanistan border to monitor cross-border terrorist movements while conducting war against terrorism (Malik, 2012). The Zardari government immediately accepted
policies, which opposed the NATO and ISAF evacuation strategies from Afghanistan in 2014 (Mahmood et al., 2019). In December 2011, According to the security sources, military hardware and seventy-one USA soldiers have been moved from Shamsi airbase to Afghanistan (BBC News, 2011). The United States vacated a Pakistani airbase after a deadline given by Islamabad over NATO air strikes in retaliation of killing twenty-four soldiers of Pakistani army. According to a statement from Pakistan's military, the process of vacation completed in the last week of December with the departure of the final flight transporting USA personnel and equipment from Shamsi airbase in the country's southwest province of Baluchistan and the Pakistan Army taken full control of the Shamsi airbase. It was commonly thought that the station was utilized in secret CIA drone attacks against Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders in the northwest of Pakistan's tribal regions with the border of Afghanistan (Dawn, 2011). In revenge of USA air strikes on military forces, Pakistan vacated the Shami airbase, which was being used for drone attacks against Taliban. This situation also made relations strange between Pakistan and USA.
The transit route for NATO forces and air link supplies and motor fuel was delivered through Pakistan was the quickest and cheap cost route to the landlocked country Afghanistan. Pakistan was important for continued supplies to the USA and NATO forces because above seventy percent supplies were routed by Pakistan (Imtiaz, n.d.). When a NATO helicopter killed two Pakistanis along the PakistanAfghanistan border in 2012, these supplies from NATO to Afghanistan via Pakistan were put on hold for one week. This type of incident was replicated on November 26, 2011, when NATO forces killed 24 Pakistani soldiers with the border after which Pakistan formally closed all supply channels to NATO but in August 2012, the supply routes were reopened. (IRNA, 2012).
The Dr. Shakil Afridi episode during the Pakistan People's Party government led to a lack of trust between Pakistan and the United States. In order to work with the CIA, Dr. Shakil Afridi created a fake vaccination campaign in 2012. The real objective of this operation was to locate Al-Qaeda militants and their commander Osama bin Laden. He was apprehended by Pakistani officials and imprisoned for 33 years for treason against Pakistani interests and laws (MacAskill & Walsh, 2011). Doctor Shakeel Afridi had been employed by the CIA American Spy Agency and he made an effort to get DNA samples from Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad when American forces launched an operation to capture Osama in May 2011. He was given a 33-year prison in term by a tribal court in May 2012 (The News, 2012). The USA cut 33 million in aid to Pakistan as punishment for such action against Pakistan, one million for each year that Dr. Afridi remained in prison. Rand Paul, a senator of USA asked on May 31, 2012 that the country end all funding to Pakistan, in response of USA citizenship a doctor serving for cooperating in the searching of OBL (The Economic Times, 2015). This episode developed strained relations between Pakistan and the United States and made Pakistan aware of its own national security concerns. In Pakistan People's Party government from 2008 to 2013, another incident occurred, which affected internal political situation. The Supreme Court ruled on June 19, 2012, that Yousuf Raza Gilani declared ineligible to serve in the parliament, the date of his conviction April 26, 2012 for contempt of court by a seven-member bench. Gilani was found guilty of contempt for refusing to carry out the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) as ordered by the Supreme Court (Dawn, 2012). Another bad news for the Zardari administration was the Supreme Court's conviction of their party's prime minister.
In addition to killing many Al-Qaeda and Taliban activists from 2008-2013, drone operations during the Pakistan People's Party government, killed hundreds of innocent civilians, which led to an uptick in suicide bombings by the Taliban. (Dawn, 2010). Pakistan requested drone technology in response to internal unrest and the delay further soured relations between the two allies. Forty-five Jirga members were killed in one of these attacks in Datta Khel, North Waziristan, which sparked Pakistani protests against the use of drone strikes. The Zardari government's decision to close the Ghazi and Shamsi airbases dealt a setback to American drone attacks on Taliban and Al-Qaeda targets. According to Leon Panetta, despite Pakistan's concerns, the USA continued its strategy of drone strikes in the country's tribal regions (Yahoo News, 2011). The nomination of General David Petraeus caused the relations between the two nations even more deteriorate (Perlez, 2011). Despite After Davis' release, ties between Pakistan and the USA remained unchanged. A USA drone in North
Waziristan just one day after his release launched four missiles at a Jirga of tribal leaders fired and killed 38 unarmed civilians. The head of the Pakistani army denounced this brutal killing and saying that it was committed total contempt for human life and that was committed against peaceful individuals (Masood & Shah, 2011). The statistics available on the frequency of drone strikes are listed below.
Table 3: Drone Strikes in Pakistan (2004-2013)
Year Strikes Killed Injured Civilian Killed Children Killed
2004-2009 51 409 175 167 102
2010 127 874 355 84 19
2011 74 447 182 52 6
2012 47 229 111 4 1
2013 19 88 24 0 0
Total 318 2047 847 307 128
Source: The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ)
The Pakistan People's Party government and the people of Pakistan condemned these strikes as a misuse of power, which a danger to Pakistan's national security. The Daily Telegraph claims that the Pakistani security agencies secretly agreed to provide information with the United States on the connections of the extremists despite the official and fully condemned of the attacks by the Zardari government. However, in October 4, 2008, the Washington Post reported that there had been a covert arrangement permitting these drone attacks between the United States and the Pakistan People's Party government (Washington Post, 2008). Former USA ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson said that the political elite of the Zardari administration had approved strikes on tribal regions. According to international law, Washington frequently claimed that Pakistan supports drone operations that is true. The United Nations Article 20 defines the state's responsibility for an international crime and declares the act to be validly unlawful in relation to the first State to the extent that it is still within the scope of consent (Ahmed, 2014). First, Pakistan allowed USA for drone attacks and it was justified from USA as a legal activity because prior permission by Pakistan. When deliberately or undeliberately killing of military, Pakistan record a protest in front of USA. Despite long-standing suspicion of the ISI's operations and objectives and mutual hostility persisted from 2008 to 2013 (Washington Post, 2011). The ISI has been routinely accused by USA officials of deliberately providing resources, supplies and planning advice to Afghan rebels. There seems to be a steadfast belief among American officials that the ISI continues to provide shelter to Afghan militants in Pakistan allowing them to maintain their insurgency. The FATA-based terrorist organization run by "Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son Sirajuddin", the Afghan terrorist organization regarded as the most deadly while fighting with NATO forces in eastern Afghanistan (Perlez, 2011). Zardari government have repeatedly refused to act on urgent and repeated pleas from the United States to the Zardari government to conduct operations against the Haqqani network's safe haven in North Waziristan, claiming that their soldiers are already exhausted. In the middle of 2011, the Haqqanis carried out a number of high-profile attacks in Afghanistan, which infuriated senior USA and Afghan officials. In the government of Pakistan People's Party, Improvised Explosive Devices in Afghanistan and Pakistan include Ammonium nitrate, a common fertilizer used commercially as a chemical explosives precursor. Since the material was declared illegal by the Kabul government in January 2010, it is thought that a large number of the IEDs used by Islamist militants in Afghanistan are transported from Pakistan's border. The United States was appealing with the Zardari government to alter in the constitution of Pakistan to prevent availability of AN and in the absence of such action to encourage "law enforcement and border security organizations" for being further proactive and successful in their efforts to cease all its movements in Afghanistan. The USA took bold steps in diplomacy, law enforcement, science and technology. The World Customs Organization and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Interpol and program have achieved several remarkable results to date through a
US-proposed coordinated effort (Moip, 2011). Though, this "Explosives Ordinance" was still just at the draft stage, it was unlikely that amendments will be made soon. The National Counter-IED Forum was established by the Zardari government so that all relevant Pakistani agencies could collaborate and create an action plan. Interior Minister Rehman Malik reportedly assured a senior State Department official that a program to train Pakistani cops in preventing potential IEDs would shortly Pakistan begin with the support of the United States. Due to the lack of a clear ban, the USA forced to depend on corrupt Pakistani border and law enforcement organizations (Pakistan Press International, 2011). In the tenure of Asif Ali Zardari government, Balochistan government was dismissed and governor's rule was imposed in January 14, 2013 in Balochistan. The operation carried out just days after the Quetta bombings, which claimed over 100 lives and the majority of Hazaras. Protesting the carnage caused by three blasts in the provincial capital on Thursday, Hazaras, along with the unburied bodies of the victims took into the streets on Friday unless the government called the military to stop the attacks (Dawn, 2013). The Supreme Court ordered the authorities to detain every charged on the rental power projects case in January 15, 2013. Another incident pushed back the Zardari govt. that was a defendant Raja Pervez Ashraf and charged with taking commissions and kickbacks in the case while serving as minister of water and power (Dawn, 2013). The Zardari administration was tarnished by this scandal, which hurt the reputation of Pakistan People's Party politicians in Pakistan.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TENURE OF PAKISTAN PEOPLE'S PARTY GOVERNMENT (2008-2013)
In the tenure of Asif Ali Zardari government many major developments had made which boost the reputation of Pakistan People's Party politics. Despite of different tragedies and incidents from 2008 to 2013 Pakistan People's Party worked at the highest levels to the greatest extent possible, which had an impact on Pakistan's foreign policy. Some of these major developments are mentioned below: In March 11, 2013, "President Asif Ali Zardari and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedi Nijad officially inaugurated construction work of a delayed $7.5 billion gas pipeline from Iran to Pakistan" which known as the Peace pipeline, or IP Gas pipeline (The National, 2009). A 2,775-kilometer (1,724-mile) pipeline that will deliver natural gas from Iran to Pakistan, The inaugural ceremony took place over the United States fierce opposition and threats of financial penalties (The Nation, 2013). USA sanctions hamper Iran-Pakistan pipeline deal, Pakistan has backed out of a joint gas pipeline deal with Iran due to the threat of USA sanctions. Due to the USA animosity against Iran, this pact developed strains ties between the US and Pakistan because USA intends to alone Iran. Zardari Government led by PPP added 3,600MW of electricity to the society alongside initiating additional work on Mangla and Tarbela dams for increase of 4,500MW in the system. (Dawn, 2013). Zardari Government taken good initiatives in different projects to enhance and adding electricity in the system.
Zardari Government had taken the initiative by the President's ordinance no. 11, in February 14, 2009, the government workers who had been dismissed during the past 13 years were reinstated and also thousands of contract employees were regularized. Pakistani Media was given full freedom of speech to comment on any government ministers and office-bearers in order to bring out the view of the public (Dawn, 2009). Another progress in Pakistan People's Party that had given full freedom of speech and taken unbelievable decision by the President ordinance to reinstate the thousands of contract employees. In February 18, 2013, China has officially been given a multibillion dollar contract to build and run the Gwadar Port. The expansion of the port is anticipated to offer up new avenues for development in Pakistan notably in Balochistan. A firm owned by the Chinese government received a contract from Zardari government for the building and operation of the Gwadar Port. According to the contract's specifications, China Overseas Port Holding Company, a state-owned Chinese company, would operate the port while it remained the property of Pakistan (Raza, 2013). Another project has been signed on CPEC, which will also be a guarantee for Pakistan's development and the Pakistan People's Party has taken yet another effort regarding the Gwadar port agreement, which would improve Pakistan's economic situation. In the late summer of 2010, Pakistan saw its worst floods since 1929 (American Red Cross, 2010). A one-fifth of the country part was under water,
which affecting 20 million people. In order to pay for rapid rescue and recovery efforts, the United States redirected $500 million in previously unspent aid received before KLB (Financial Times, 2011). Speedy relief distribution was further hampered by Pakistan's politics and bureaucracy. The USA funds were more appealing to Pakistani authorities than the detailed planning, accounting and auditing processes went along with them. The United States supported to improve Pakistan-USA relations and foster mutual trust and cooperation between the two nations. Pakistan People's Party passed an ordinance by the President's ordinance act no. x, April 20, 2010, The 18th Amendment in the Pakistani Constitution was approved by the National Assembly, eliminating the president's authority to unilaterally dismiss the Parliament. The North West Frontier Province was renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a result of the new reform. In April 15, 2010, it was approved by the Senate and after, President Asif Ali Zardari signed it into law. (Dawn, 2010). Zardari govt. had passed the amendments in the constitution of Pakistan which was the big achievement because majority of assembly with Zardari govt. One of the Pakistan's notable developments made by all political parties to modify the Constitution, which is regarded as the fundamental law of any state to address the issue of province autonomy (Akhtar, 2017).
Further development in the government of Pakistan People's Party that t he Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill in 2010, which aims to give women a safe working environment was signed by President Zardari on 9 March. This was done through hiring women as party workers passing anti-harassment laws and implementing other laws and programs to support women (Dawn, 2010). He reaffirmed the government's commitment to upholding the Constitution's guarantee of equal rights for men and women. One of Pakistan People's Party most well-known initiatives was the legislation they brought in to support and protect the rights of women. In the period of Pakistan people's party government, the Kerry Lugar Bill was a major and mutual development between Pakistan and USA. The top commanders of the army stated their serious concerns in October 7, 2009, regarding several provisions of the so-called Kerry-Lugar bill that they felt would have an impact on national security. According to the legislation, the Pakistani government received non-military aid of 1.5 billion dollars annually from 2010 to 2014. This development demonstrated the United States and lack of confidence on Pakistan's ability to implement an effective counterterrorism strategy (The Nations, 2009). In November 24, 2009, The Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package was presented by the Pakistan People's Party at a Joint Session of the Parliament as a collection of ideas for the Federal Government and Parliament to consider and approve in order to address the concerns of Balochistan. A conciliation package including a dialogue offer to the Baloch was announced by the government (Dawn, 2009). Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan, the package, promised investigations into political killings, a stop to the construction of new cantonments and increased local authority over resource allocation. This bill was introduced by the Zardari government to tackle social and political activities in Balochistan.
In December 30, 2009, Finance Ministers of the four provinces and the Zardari government signed the Seventh NFC award. (Dawn, 2009). The bill was passed by the Zardari government to improve the equitable allocation of shares among the provinces. The controversial NRO was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in December 16, 2009, when it reinstated all cases and overturned the convictions of its beneficiaries. This placed Pakistan People's Party lawmakers, cabinet officials and President Zardari in a difficult situation. Pervez Musharraf signed a controversial legislation that gave politicians and bureaucrats convicted of corruption, money laundering and other offenses amnesty between 1986 and 1999 (Dawn, 2009). National Reconciliation Ordinance were the black orders which putting the Zardari govt. and passed by the cabinet and parliamentarians to facilitate the govt. officials and politicians. The only task that Pakistan People's Party government successfully finished was Benazir Income Support Programme. Due to the program's popularity, the PML-N government has continued to run it. The program's objective is to give low-income families a monthly allowance so they can make ends meet. It does provided monthly income to those in society who are most in need. The goal of eradicating poverty through an act was approved by the Parliament in July 2008 giving the initiative legislative authority and political legitimacy (Dawn, 2014). A major instance was Asif Ali Zardari, Co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party takes the oath of
government on September 9, 2008. The oath was administered at the Aiwan-i-Sadr by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar (Dawn, 2008). Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected prime minister by the new National Assembly on March 24, 2008 with a vote of more than two-thirds, resulting in a coalition of Musharraf s detractors. The new leader immediately ordered the release of superior court judges who had been impeached but had been held in detention for more than four and a half months (Dawn, 2008).
CONCLUSION
When the relationship between the USA and Pakistan examined, it can be concluded that both countries used complementary strategies to attain their objectives. Scholar have analyzed the major incidents and developments in the Pakistan People's Party government and conclude that these events forced Pakistan to overview her futuristic foreign policy towards USA and neighboring countries. Despite of this, foreign policy of Pakistan and USA influenced both, due to the adjacent of their national interests. Pakistan played a huge and vital role in fulfilling USA needs and this happened repeatedly. Unfortunately, Pakistan's political system has never been very robust and has a longer history of dictatorships than the democratic leadership. When Pakistan refused to compromise or cooperate, the USA would put serious financial threats and threaten to discontinue to providing further support. Pakistan was very important for the USA's logistical support because Pakistan possessed the only access to transporting the NATO supplies because Afghanistan was a landlocked country, the USA could not have finished its mission in Afghanistan without this logistical support. Otherwise, bringing their logistics from the northern side may be extremely expensive for the USA and NATO soldiers. Any agreement with the Taliban would require Pakistan's support. Pakistan People's Party government developed trust deficit and misperception between Pakistan and USA but on the other hand, Zardari government got a huge financial aid from USA in the history of Pakistan. There were many ups and downs, security threats and uncountable issues occurred in the government of Pakistan People's Party from 2008 to 2013, despite of all these Pakistan People's Party government completed its democratic period for five years from 2008 to 2013. It is further conclude that Pakistan's foreign policy remained under the influenced of USA.
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