On Thursday, March 7, the 2002 Symposium on Foreign Affairs presented Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistani Ambassador to the United States, who spoke on U.S.-Pakistan relations.
Lodhi began by thanking the Symposium Staff for the opportunity to speak in what she termed "a great forum to stimulate debate and discussion." She spoke of the heightened uncertainty that has followed the attacks of Sept. 11.
"We live in a world with new challenges superimposed on longer-run challenges," said Lodhi.
Lodhi went on to discuss the history of those "longer-run" challenges, which she believes have shaped the current relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan, and have led to cooperation between the two countries in light of the recent terrorist attacks. According to Lodhi, the Cold War period saw both countries forming a partnership to "confront the forces of non-freedom." Following the Cold War, the bond forged began to erode, and both countries sought to "recraft the relationship in sync with the new realities created by the post-Cold War period." Lodhi says that for Pakistan, these new realities involved sanctions from the U.S.
"The description 'America's most allied ally' became 'America's most sanctioned friend'," said Lodhi. "Such was the paradox - [our countries] continued to engage, but differed so fundamentally on the nuclear issue."
Lodhi was referring to the race for nuclear proliferation that has persevered for three decades between Pakistan and India. She described the defensive mindset of Pakistan, a mindset which she feels the U.S. did not fully realize.
"We felt Washington was unable to understand the rational for nuclear weapons," said Lodhi. "It was defensive, a security compulsion, and yet my country came under sanctions, and not the country that initiated the nuclear arms race in the first place."
Lodhi contended that Pakistan made efforts to discuss non-proliferation with the U.N., but "there were no takers."
"During the '60s and '70s, it was not fashionable to talk about non-proliferation," said Lodhi. "We had no option but to rely on ourselves? hence the nuclear capabilities, hence the sanctions that followed."
In defense of her country's international peacekeeping actions, Lodhi cited Pakistan's efforts in Somalia, which coincided with those of the U.S.
Despite this "mutuality of interests", however, Pakistan and the U.S. were unable to find the "anchor" that the Cold War had offered their relationship. And yet, says Lodhi, "engagement never really turned into disengagement," and the onset of the Bush administration, which pledged a review of policies toward South Asia, offered new hope.
"What we found and saw was music to the ears of the Pakistani people," said Lodhi. "And that was [the pledge] that something must be done about the sanctions. This is a development we look towards with great hope. A relationship can only be forged for the future in a sanction-free environment."
Lodhi also discussed the struggling economy in Pakistan, which has been exacerbated over the years by the 1980s conflict in Afghanistan, which initiated to both gunrunning and narcotics trade, and the authoritarian military reign of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during whose rule "democracy descended into kleptocracy."
"While the rest of the world was celebrating the end of the Cold War, we were suffering from the blowback," said Lodhi.
Lodhi believes that economic revival should become today's priority for Pakistan, especially in light of the increased terrorist activity.
"A declining economy produces loads of desperate people? [which] leads to extremism," said Lodhi.
She also expressed confidence in Pakistan's President, Pervez Musharraf, who came to power after the ousting of Sharif's regime. Lodhi cited the President's commitment to the vision of Pakistan's founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a vision which was all but lost in the half-century since Pakistan's independence in 1947.
"[The vision] is a promise of tolerance and an end to violence. We are fed up by those who use religion for violent actions," said Lodhi. "Terrorism has no faith and no ideology; it is a tactic, a technique."
Lodhi then spoke of her country's unequivocal support against such violent extremism in the wake of the terrorist attacks.
"We were asked by the U.S. for our cooperation, and we didn't waiver," said Lodhi. "We offered our unstinted coalition. Terrorism is something that my own country has been afflicted by. We've seen so much blood. There was no question that we'd be standing shoulder to shoulder with the Global Coalition [Against Terrorism]."
Lodhi cited the nature of Pakistan's support as involving logistical support, use of air space, and "most vitally," intelligence cooperation. She urged careful consideration of "both the symptom and cause" of terrorism, and warned against using the attacks to justify human rights violations, encouraging instead conscientiousness on the part of the global community.
"We need to avoid past mistakes," said Lodhi. "The lesson of 9-11 [is that] indifference to crumbling states is not an option? we all become engulfed in it."
Lodhi addressed a number of questions posed by the audience, ranging from the situation in Kashmir to racial profiling and religious discrimination.
In regards to the situation in Kashmir, Lodhi intimated that "dialogue" between India and Pakistan is the only solution.
"[This is] not about the territory," said Lodhi. "It is about the people."
Mahmooda Khaliq, a graduate student at the School of Public Health, asked Lodhi about the status of Ahmadi Muslims, a minority religious group in Pakistan, citing the civil rights violations and "state-wide persecution" that she says the Ahmadi Muslims have faced. Lodhi responded in defense of Jinnah's vision, which she says embraces the idea of equality among all people.
"We are a Muslim majority state, and are proud to be an Islamic country, but that does not mean minorities should face discrimination," said Lodhi.
Khaliq said she would have liked the ambassador to "expand on the situation," but felt that Lodhi's response was appropriate for the venue.
"The ambassador answered the question in the politically correct method," said Khaliq. "She didn't address the specific politics [of the issue], but answered the question to the best of her abilities in terms of the audience that was present."
Executive Director of the 2002 Symposium on Foreign Affairs, Zainab Akbar, was also pleased with the speech, though dissatisfied with the low student turnout.
"It really went well, but I was disappointed by the attendance," said Akbar. "This is such a relevant topic."
The students who did attend asked "extremely pointed questions," according to Akbar, all of which "really challenged the ambassador.
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