Page 10 - CMA Journal (Mar-Apr 2026)

keen on CPEC, still committed to CPEC because of a strategic
“ I still feel that we have the partnership, but the problem lies at our end, and it is
basically rooted in the bureaucracy in Islamabad.
issue of terrorism and a
counterterrorism strategy vis-à- ICMA: From your years in foreign policy, what lessons can
guide Pakistan's strategy in navigating global
vis Afghanistan in this region,
uncertainty?
and I feel that multilateral
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed: My own experience
forums like the Shanghai shows that at times there is a lack of strategic clarity on
Cooperation Organization can issues, and when personal interests take precedence over

play a key role because the national interests, the interests of Pakistan suffer. For
example, there have been times when we have lacked
Shanghai Cooperation
strategic clarity on India and we often mistake peace for
Organization, SCO, has an virtue, and policy at times borders on appeasement.
institution in Tashkent which Strategic clarity on the Kashmir issue with India is sometimes
not there. People say, let's open trade with India. Let's open
is called RATS, i.e. the Regional
so called peace process with India when there is no
Anti-Terrorist Structure. “ reciprocity. When India is bent on damaging Pakistan, when
India is bent on isolating Pakistan, when India is targeting
and oppressing the Kashmiri people, so that will not work.
And I think the key element is that you cannot outsource
The second area is that, because of the attitudes of the ruling
your security. And we have managed that very well and
class, there is sometimes a tendency to be closer to the West
linked that to our diplomacy through an approach based on
and to think we should balance between China and the West.
outreach to our friends and also the protection of our It is not about balance; it is about protecting our interests.
security interests. And so, in this combination, Pakistan has And at times, political or personal interests take precedence.
managed this balancing act very well and has won the
The fundamental lesson in today's world, demonstrated by
accolades of its friends and distant partners, both in the
the Iran situation, is that you cannot outsource your security
region and in the East and the West.
to any country. The Gulf countries had vast resources and
ICMA: As founder of the Pakistan-China Institute, how had given bases to the Americans, purchased weapons, and
might US-Iran tensions affect CPEC projects, and what allowed a strong American presence, with 40,000 American
soldiers and sailors and 16 bases in the region. Yet when the
practical steps should be taken to protect them?
crisis came, they were left defenseless and in the lurch. That is
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed: Pakistan China Institute a fundamental lesson, and we learned a hard lesson, well
today is the premier non-governmental institution after 71.
promoting relations between Pakistan and China at the
people-to-people level. And I would say that the US-Iran ICMA: How can partnerships and multilateral forums
tensions have not affected the CPEC projects, and the CPEC help Pakistan turn regional challenges into
projects stand on their own because CPEC was initiated over opportunities?
a decade back. And the main reason, if there has been some
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed: I would say that
slowdown or some problems, is at our end.
partnerships and multilateral forums are very important. For
We had made two commitments to the Chinese. One was example, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is
that we would provide foolproof security to all the Chinese extremely important in promoting Pakistan linkages with
experts, engineers, and technicians living in Pakistan. And at China, Russia, and the Central Asian region. Then we have the
the peak of CPEC, there were about 20,000 of them, not ECO, i.e. the Economic Cooperation Organization, which is
Chinese workers but experts, engineers, and technicians. very important because it provides us a platform, and that
And the other one was that we will give them a one window platform is important because we can turn those platforms
operation so that all their issues would be resolved in one into opportunities. I still feel that we have the issue of
office through that one window operation. Sadly, both these terrorism and a counterterrorism strategy vis-à-vis
commitments have not been kept, so the Chinese are still
Afghanistan in this region, and I feel that multilateral forums
ICMA’s Chartered Management Accountant, Mar-Apr 2026 8