Seminar talks (3) (Prof. Saeed Shafqat's talk)

Prof. Saeed Shafqat in UoG.

Professor Saeed shafqat the founder of Pak studies department in Quaid-e-Azam University and the Chief Instructor of Civil Services Academy started his talk by saying all the problems with the Pakistan are internal not external. If internally you are unable to establish peace you can’t have it outside.

He said we can divide the talk in three contents 1st “Local” in which we need to see internal matters. 2nd “Regional powers” in which he added "we must keep in mind to Centcom’s map of Asia in which they excluded two countries India and Israel". So we can analyze and understand why the Pakistan’s location is very important. 3rd “Regional” "Who will influence Persian Gulf will control Arabian Sea and who will control Arabian Sea will dominate Indian Ocean". By this we can observe that Why Pakistan is an Unavoidable and essential for the allied forces.

He said “Reality is relative in Social sciences nothing is fix”. He divided Pak-US relations in 5 types.

1: Dependence; (Marxist) in this school of thought we have the  people which says we are dependent on US on each and every matter.

2: Ideological; in this school of thought we have majority. Which says we have faith differences with US. They also generates conspiracy theories. This school of thought takes India, USA, and Israel as the only enemy of Pakistan, and presents them like a devil Trica which is anti Pakistan especially against the Nuclear Pakistan. The only nukes holder Islamic Country. He said this school of thought is dominant here.

3: Roller Coaster type relations. This school of thought says the relations between Pakistan and America are like Roller coaster. Which have ups and downs but as America is super power so in the time of American interests the coaster gets high position therefore down.

4: Plait and client relation.         

5: Influential relationship. Both Influence each other on the interests basis at the different times.

By raising a question Professor Saeed shafqat said, who is the main actor in making Pakistan’s foreign Policy? Is it foreign office? Is it Media? Is it Parliament? Is it civil society? Then he answered "No it is he who thinks the security & projection of the state is his right. So he designs the foreign policy so all the left get angry over it".

He said a positive aspect is coming up in the Pakistani society. It is power sharing, either between provinces, between institutes or between personalities. 

He said what ever the condition of democracy we should follow it due to its beauty of consensus.

While closing the talk he said USA is not going from Afghanistan not now not even after 2014. The pipe line TAPI (Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India pipe line) matter is going to be focus at end of this war. He said this is the gift which USA is looking for but it belongs to security. You can’t have peace in region if Pakistan is insecure & Pakistan’s security belongs to security of citizen not of the state.