By: Afreen Baig

When President Musharraf took over, Pakistan was on the verge of default and bankruptcy, with less than a billion dollars in its foreign reserves and 65% of the revenues being spend on debt servicing. The external debt had grown from $ 18 billion in 1988 to become $ 38 billion in 1999. Pakistan was also being tagged as a terrorism supporting state, due to persistent Indian efforts.

The timing coincided with the great game that was about to take place on the map of the worlds. The US had drawn up plans to somehow secure the Oil fields of the Caspian Sea region that competes in scale with the riches of Saudi Arabia and counter the regional dominance of China and rising India.

By 2010, the Caspian Sea reserves are expected to yield 3.2 billion barrels of crude oil per day, in addition to 4.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year. The shortest and safest route for the oil pipeline was designed, starting from the Central Asian states through Afghanistan and ending in Baluchistan. The Afghanistan war was implemented to give success and prominence to the US conglomerate Unocal Corporation over the Argentinean conglomerate Bridas, and wipe out the obstinate Taliban.

September 11 was a planned tragedy converted into an opportunity for the USA and its regional dominance to confine and circle China.

For that plan to be executed safely, the USA needed a destabilized Pakistan, a Pakistan full of political circus and corrupt leaders. Corrupt Pakistani leaders who would prefer US regional dominance, in return for some billion dollars tucked away in their foreign banks.

Initially, the USA supported President Musharraf thinking that he would heed to the US regional aspirations, but it dawned upon them only 3 years back that General Musharraf had double crossed them, only to gain time and fortify Pakistan.

President Musharraf took all this time to strengthen and revive Pakistan’s ailing economy and outdated Military. The USA could never have imagined that under Musharraf’s leadership, Pakistan would have started large scale manufacturing and serial production of Al-Khalid Tanks, Ballistic missiles, Agosta (French) Submarines, and JF-17 Thunder Jets.

And, above all a National Command Authority was formed to implement plans related to KRL (Khan Research Labs) and PAEC (Pak Atomic Energy Commission), including development and employment of Pakistan’s strategic assets. The whereabouts of our Nuclear bombs and Warheads are now unknown to any corrupt politician.

Under President Musharraf, Pakistan was converted into a stable and viable economy. Our $75 billion economy of 1999 grew at 6%-8%, to become a $160 billion economy at the start of 2007.

His infrastructure development vision initiated 6 Motorways and several Highways. He constructed 4 Dams. 20 Public and 27 Private Universities are already functioning and 9 Engineering Universities are under construction. Exports increased from a stagnated $ 7.6 billion in 1999, to become $ 18 billion in 2007.

Major ambitious mega projects like GWADAR (a Port on the Straits of Hormuz), a $90m Sust Dry port in Gilgit, Saindak project, Rekodiq project (world’s top 7th copper reserves & 20 million ounces of gold), Marble production, Coal mining projects, Mineral mining & quarrying, etc. remain unprecedented in Pakistan’s History.

Meanwhile, some US think tanks remained suspicious of PAK-China GWADAR project, and term it as an intentional large Naval base for the Pakistani and Chinese Aircraft carriers and Submarines. 40% of the world’s oil supply passes through the Straits of Hormuz. The Chinese overlooking the straits is an alarming situation for both, the US and India. China needed to be countered and restricted.

China also rushed to complete a $100 billion deal with Iran, in February 2006; to develop the Yadavaran Oil field in Southern Iran. Sinopec will get in exchange, 10 million tonnes of Liquefied Natural Gas FREE till next quarter century. The Yadavaran can produce as much as 300,000 barrels of oil per day. Sinopec will hold 51% stake and India’s Oil & Gas Corp. will hold 29%.

To top this all, Pakistan is pursuing the Iran-PAK-India gas pipeline. President Musharraf also convinced China to buy a stake in this pipeline incase India is unable to proceed. Currently, the countries in dire need of Gas & Oil are the developing 3rd world countries, averaging 6% GDP growth. Who will the USA sell its Caspian Sea gas reserves to, if the major regional markets of South Asia are out??

The US mega game plan to lay the oil pipeline from the Caspian Sea reserves to Gwadar and supplying oil from Iraq’s reserves, will both fall in limbo.

The USA remains apprehensive and deeply troubled. Their great game can only be accomplished if the honest and loyal-to-country Musharraf was toppled, and the corrupt lots of politicians are brought back. The USA wants free and unrestricted access to Balochistan including Gwadar, which under President Musharraf was impossible. Gwadar under US control means controlling oil reserves, passage of oil supply and observing the regional economic houses i.e China and India.

CIA funded impressive regime change plans, and toppled President Musharraf’s progressive government to install a corrupt and pro-American government, and all in the name of democracy, freedom of media and protection of civil rights! Those impressive agitations that came out of no-where and were usually headed by NGOs, organized by local political parties and funded through US political channels were covert operations to undergo regime change of President Musharraf.

China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, understood the regional politics and were steadfast behind President Musharraf. The USA having failed to introduce Democracy or any system in Afghanistan and Iraq, is trying to shift its total failure unto Pakistan. The US Media has already started blaming Pakistan for failure of its ‘War on Terror’, and they’re further rousing suspicions about our Nuclear Assets.

A strong leader is what we need for a stronger, secure and stable Pakistan and a prosperous region!

Afreen Baig is an independent analyst majoring in International Relations and Economics. She can be reached at afreenbaig@gmail.com