Point of No Return

The United States has military bases all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. Seemingly, the purpose of having its military presence in different parts of the world is to eliminate terrorism and keep a vigilant eye on emerging threats to peace and stability of the particular region. For instance, the U.S. has its military bases in South Korea, an economically developed country. On the contrary, North Korea, a country with a fragile economy, does not have a U.S. military base. Japan has had US military bases since the end of the World War II, but the Land of Cherry Blossoms is not at risk of terrorist attacks or facing hostility from any neighbouring country or terror outfit.

In contrast, Pakistan, which has been a major ally of the United States, has this time refused any possibility of U.S. military operating from Pakistan soil. However, in my opinion, most people, except a handful of clerics, are in the favour of allowing the U.S. to set up its military base here in Pakistan in exchange of much-needed dollars. If this happens, Pakistan's integrity would not be under threat from hostile forces, while the country would immensely gain from the American financial grants, or it could even demand a complete waiver of debt, which is crucial to end Pakistan's long festering socio-economic ills in such key areas as clean water, sanitation, health, education, and so forth.

To relieve their debt-ridden economies, countries like Egypt and Turkey allowed the United States to establish its military bases on their soil in the past. In the military regimes of General Ayub Khan and General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan had also trod the same path by allowing the U.S. forces to set up its military bases here in the country. What is stopping us now? If Pakistan does not allow the US to set up and operate its airfields in Pakistan, Pakistan's decade-long sacrifices and its earnest efforts in the war on terror will go to waste.

Prime Minister Imran Khan should reconsider his decision in this regard, keeping in view both the short and long-term consequences of 'Absolutely Not' obstinacy.

Captain (Retired) Haji Muhammad Iftikhar Khan, former Deputy Inspector General of Police and an expert on security issues, believes that the United States should not be allowed to have their airbases on Pakistan soil, because the US is no more an ally of Pakistan, but an ally of India. "Our alliance is with China, Turkey, Russia, and Iran," says Khan. "The U.S. has had a proven track record of taking advantage of Pakistan and then leaving it in the lurch. However, in the 74-year history of Pakistan, we have found a bold leader like PM Imran Khan, who has enough guts to say 'NO' to the U.S. and that too in absolute terms.

The US had used the Pakistani territory in the past to consume ISAF funds due to which the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province had suffered a lot. Mohammad Iftikhar Khan says that if the U.S. is one again permitted to have its military bases in Pakistan, then Pakistan must be ready to face the wrath of its allies such as Iran, China, Turkey and Russia. For a struggling country like Pakistan, it's the point of no return.