Adil Najam
A good picture, they say, can be worth a thousand words. A good number can be worth millions. Even billions. In this case, 15 billion. And that is counting dollars, not words.
The number, of course, is the value of business deals being finalized during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Pakistan. There are many versions of the numbers out there. Some think the number is $20 billion, others maybe more, and this being Pakistan media some are adding all the different estimates together. But none of that matters much, what is a billion here or there between friends!
But the real point is that no matter how you look at it, even the lowest estimate – US$15 billion – is one very impressive number. The even bigger point is that this is a number coming from someone who is clearly seen as a friend and therefore is seen so very different from how gifts borne by those who one does not trust are viewed.
Those, to me, are the real stories behind this number. The story of a powerful and dependable friend; maybe the only one for Pakistan. The story of a stable and sustainable international relationship; maybe the only one for Pakistan. The story of a sensible and reasonable interests-based basis for an international relationship; maybe the only one for Pakistan.
I am, of course and like most Pakistanis, a fan of the Pakistan-China relationship. There is much that we Pakistanis can ourselves learn from this relationship about why our other relationships have turned out to be so very different. There is also much that our other international partners – in particular the United States – can learn from this relationship about why their offerings have received such different responses from Pakistan (the obvious case would be the $7.5 Billion Kerry Lugar Bill that got half as much money into Pakistan and gave the US that many times more angst and such a different reception).
If we ourselves in Pakistan can learn the lessons inherent in this relationship and begin applying them to our other relationships, the value of that would, at least to me, be worth even more than the $15 billion we are now talking about. But can we learn those lessons? Have we ever?
Thank you China.
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “Pakistan on sale lease it or buy it”
– “”The U.S. hasn’t offered to support nuc projects with Pakistan, so we go to China where we know we are always very warmly welcomed,”
“Various Chinese-funded projects are also currently underway to boost Pakistan’s infrastructure, including the development of a port on the Strait of Hormuz at Gwadar.””
– “China’s massive investment in this time proves two things. One is that China is a genuine ally of Pakistan, and second, it is a clear signal to the U.S. that if the U.S. supports India against China, China will support Pakistan.”
– “but things are 5 miles ahead”
The US could learn lessons about how to change its image, but it will not.
Pakistan could learn lessons from this about how to make better relations with others, but it will not.
That is the tragedy neither US not Pakistan ever learn anything.
The mistrust upon our present Government has shy away the helper but China regardless of the Pakistani impression of funds miss managementhas come forward to help in time is test of real friendship embeded with wested intrest.
Pakistan need this kind of help and the real challenge is to become competitent to utilize this offer of help for the people of pakistan with long term planning.
The Government and the forces running the government affairs and who has grip upon stearing the way, should alow technocrats to form visionary directional long term policy.
There is talent in Pakistan apart of dirty politice to grabe resources and power and unless these power broker may not allow the technical people to perform, it is of no use and I am afraid it may go invain. Time is for landlords to allow the talent to act if they want security for their domains.
As it is coming out,many of the ‘deals’are not even agreements,they are MoUs.Now MoUs mean nothing until the agreement is signed.
Now it is upto the Pakistani government to convert these MoUs into agreements as soon as possible.
Three years ago China and Pakistan signed a similar MoU to establish two economic zones,one near Lahore and one near Karachi.There has been no progress on the same so far.They remain MoUs so far.
It is time to go beyond emotional slogans(Himalaya se oonchi aur deewar-e-cheen se ziyada mazboot dosti) and launch solid economic and strategic agreements between the two partners.