By: Gholam Mujtaba, Ed.D., M.D., FRSPH, FICPS

Pakistan didn’t Participate in Soviet Afghan War – Pakistan Supported Afghanistan in fear of being the next target, said a former Pakistan’s Security Chief.

ANALYSIS: “I DISAGREE IN ITS ENTIRETY”.

By: Gholam Mujtaba, Ed.D., M.D., FRSPH, FICPS

Yes, I was a lead student leader in the years 1976-78 and had passed out of Karachi University in the beginning of that year to join my first job as the first Pakistani Pharmacist in Makkah Al Mukarramah. The soviet invasion of Afghanistan took place in late December 1979 when General Naseer Janjua was either a Lieutenant or Captain in the army.

My observation is based on my meetings with the then Chief of the Army Staff and the President of the country, Late General Ziaul Haq. The historical facts are well documented and security files must have been accessible to the fo National Security Advisor.

Pakistan fully participated in clandestine operations with the CIA and Mossad in defeating the Soviet Union’s expansionist designs in the promotion of communism. Pakistan, declared as an ideological state, was always aligned to the Western powers. Right wing politics prevailed throughout those years, and most leftist student leaders supportive of communist ideology such as Raza Rabbani, Mushahid Hussain Syed and many others were non-entity to the level of our rightist following.

However, those dynamics have recently been changed in Pakistani politics due to various reasons. One of them is rightly identified by General Naseer Janjua by abandoning Afghanistan after dismantling of the Soviet Union. Had the Mujahedeen been engaged in a political process, the Taliban phenomenon may never have occurred, nor the events of 9/11 could have taken place.
Iran, politically declared as an Ayatollah state, is aligned with the communist powers, Russia and China. The Iranian influence in Pakistan has put a segment of the Pakistani population supportive of Russia and China. This is why the entire left of Pakistan with the political support of the pro Iran segment has influenced a turnaround in Pakistan’s foreign policy. These elements who never had a chance to influence Pakistan’s powerful military establishment seem to have taken over the control.

Yes, Israel has an influence somewhere in the process that may not be the right cards from behind the scenes, is my observation. Same is the case with the Arab states. To me, they are unaware of the gravity of the situation, which is why Iranian influence is greatly helping the survival of the Russians under all these odds in the Middle East.

Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Alawites in Syria are in control of their region due to Iran.
Is Pakistan the next target for these leftist and communist forces in the region. It looks doable for them. However, if that happens, then the United States will be left with the only option to use the economic might to defeat the leftists in the Middle East and Central Asia, apart from the military power.

The policy of President Trump is right on dot. I fully agree with him but do disagree with the dynamics of the Arab states and Israel in dealing with the situation.
Either you are with us, or against us is a true picture in this theater.

Pakistan and Afghanistan should not be isolated from a longstanding United States support and the military establishment of Pakistan should always be engaged in the policy making at the capitol. Yes, odds are to be encountered, yet a uniform policy of the United States with the Arabs and Israel is vital to maintain regional peace, and outflank communists, and the rogue states.
As of today, the policies of the POTUS, though opposed by many is the need of the hour. He is right in his global moves.

About the writer:
The writer is a scholar on Leadership with special interest in the Middle East, South and Central Asia. He served in a Pakistani cabinet, and is a senior Leader of the Republican Party of the United States. He was a leading Pakistani student leader at the time of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan.