6.

4 PAKISTAN’S MEMBERSHIP OF WORLD ORGANIZATIONS

B) PAKISTAN AND THE WIDER WORLD:

1. Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) formerly known as the Baghdad Pact

Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) earlier Middle East Treaty Organization, or Baghdad Pact
Organization Mutual Security Organization dating from 1955 to 1979 and contained of Turkey,
Iran, Pakistan, Iraq and the Britain.
Turkey and Iraq are founding initiators who laid the foundation of the Baghdad Pact for mutual
defense and security that was signed on 26 February 1955.
Turkey and Iraq invited Pakistan to join but Pakistan was not willing and not enthusiastic to do
so without the participation of United States. But pressure from Britain and United States was
adequate stimulus for Pakistan to sign the Baghdad Pact on 23 September 1955 along with
Britain and Iran.
United States was unwilling due to the treaty in the incident of a war involving Israel and the
Arab states. Although U.S. functioned for treaty as unofficial observer, the United States signed
individual agreements with each of the countries in this Pact.
In 1958, Iraq faced the revolution which further caused the broke up of this Pact between Iraq
and the other countries. The Baghdad Pact original name was Middle East Treaty Organization
(METO) replaced by the name of Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) after the withdrawal of
Iraq. After the extraction of Iraq from the Baghdad Pact, CENTO moved its headquarter to
Turkey (Ankara).

WHY IT DIDN’T WORK FOR PAKISTAN?

For Pakistan, the Pact was expected to balance relations with India and help it to get benefit
from Western economic bloc.
CENTO proved not fruitful with reference to Pakistan because neither in 1965 nor in 1971 did
CENTO consider rendering support to Pakistan while Pakistan had joined it to find an equalizer
against India.
The South Asia and Middle East became very unstable and weak regions during the 1960s with
the ongoing Indo-Pakistani Wars and the Arab-Israeli conflict. CENTO was reluctant to get
deeply involved in either dispute. In 1965 and in 1971, Pakistan tried fruitlessly to get support
in its wars with India from CENTO, but this was rejected because it was viewed that CENTO was
aimed at containing the USSR instead of India.
By 1979 the organization quietly dissolved with the departure of Pakistan and Iran.

2. South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)

In September 1954, the South East Asia Treaty was set up. Its members included US, UK,
France, Thailand, the Philippines, New Zealand and Australia. Pakistan also joined but the
decision faced opposition from within the Pakistan government and so the treaty was not
ratified until 1955.
The treaty stated that if any member were attacked, it could appeal to other members for
support. However there was one major problem as far as Pakistan was concerned. The treaty
applied only to support in its wars against Communist aggression. This meant Pakistan received
no support in its wars against India. Nor was help provided to prevent East Pakistan breaking
away.
Pakistan had hoped to persuade SEATO to set up a permanent military force to protect all
member countries against any attack. By 1972, it had decided that membership of SEATO was
of limited value and Bhutto withdrew Pakistan from the organization.
GAINS
The visible gains which Pakistan got from the pact were that
a) SEATO training centers were set up in Asian members countries, and Pakistan managed
to train hundreds of its workers under this scheme
b) secondly, the prestige and importance of being represented where India was not,
rubbing shoulders with some powerful fellow-members.
c) From Pakistan’s point of view, this pact was useful only because, as one of its member, it
received military equipment and its military officials received better military training.

CONS
By joining the defense pacts Pakistan could not maintain a neutral foreign policy as did India.
Had Pakistan not joined this pact the present situation in Pakistan might have been very
different. By maintaining neutral policy it could have prevented further aggravating the Soviet
Union.

3. Regional Co-operation Development (RCD)

ESTABLISHMENT
Immediately after partition, Iran and Turkey extended their recognition to Pakistan.
The formation of RCD was an agreement aimed at promoting regional development
in various aspects of social life of the three member states.
RCD was set up by the three member states on 21st July 1964, where the heads of
State of Pakistan, Turkey and Iran assembled to sign an agreement known as the
Istanbul Accord. The three Heads of State reaffirmed that regional cooperation was
essential for accelerating the pace of national development.

Evaluation of the RCD

 Though RCD, ever since its establishment in 1964 performed commendably in the
beginning, its working was badly marred and hampered by the turn of events in the
region.
 The RCD always held more promises than achievements.
 Three decades of various level meetings, conferences and frequent visits of civil and
military bureaucrats accomplished only a negligible regional trade, little addition to
transport facilities, no institutional links except through an extremely inactive regional
Chamber of Commerce and not much of people-to-people contact in social and
academic fields.
 In the seventies, Iran suddenly became rich and a formidable military power with the
result that the RCD is skewed.
  In 1977, the Treaty of Izmir was signed to provide judicial basis to the RCD. However
with the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the long war with Iraq, the RCD was put on the
back burner.
 During this time, Turkey progressed through its ambitious economic program. It opened
up its markets and saw a good economic boom in its exports, bringing prosperity to its
people.
 Pakistan on the other hand, had experienced a severe setback due to the 1971
dismemberment. Half of the country was separated due to external aggression and
internal unstable political and economic conditions. The remaining Pakistan had to go
through the longest martial law of its history.
 The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan had put enormous stress on the country’s economy
halting the country’s march towards prosperity.

The RCD could not achieve its objectives due to certain political events befalling the member
countries. The Treaty of Izmir that developed to give RCD judicial basis could not be operated
due to the political upheavals in Pakistan and Iran during this period. In 1990, the original
members got together in Islamabad to reactivate the Treaty of Izmir which became the start of
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

4. Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

The primary objective of OIC is to promote greater harmony and cooperation amongst the
Muslim world and to project and protect their interests in the international systems. It also
aimed at advancement of economic, cultural, scientific, trade and educational interests of the
Islamic countries.

When the OIC was set up, Pakistan became its active member in 1969.
Pakistan has played a pivotal role in the deliberations of OIC since its inception. Pakistan is a
founding member of the Organization of the Islamic Countries. It has played a vital role in the
establishment of the Organization and a number of its subsidiary organs and affiliated bodies.
Pakistan has used the OIC forums effectively for the safeguard of the rights and interests of the
Muslims all over the world. Pakistan has raised its voice for the rights of distressed Palestine,
Kashmir and Afghan Muslim.

Evaluation of OIC:
The OIC has been long on idiom but short on action.
Since its inauguration in 1969 the OIC summits have produced more than 3200 resolutions
ranging from the boycott of Israel to raising the level of economic, cultural and political
cooperation among the member countries. Very few substantive resolutions have ever been
implemented.
In past, OIC has approved many resolutions urging member countries to vote with one voice in
international forums like UN. With the exception of one resolution over Bosnia, the OIC has
never voted as a bloc in the UN despite earlier agreement.
 5. South East Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC)
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation comprises of 7 countries i.e. Bhutan,
Maldives, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s Role:
 Pakistan played a pivotal role in the formal launching of the SAARC at the first summit at Dhaka
in 1985.
 Pakistan gave the suggestion that women’s participation should be increased in the SAARC
related activities.
 Pakistan assigned highest priority to the eradication of drug abuse and drug trafficking through
effective regional cooperation.
 It proposed many important initiatives in the social field- such as the SAARC 2000 basic Needs
proposal in 1988.
 Pakistan has repeatedly put forth proposals regarding nuclear restraint and disbarment and has
been advocating regional solutions.
 Pakistan doubled its share in the South Asian food security resources.
 Pakistan is the 2nd largest contributor towards all SAARC related activities and budget of the
SAARC secretariat.

Factors responsible for SAARC’s failures:

 Ambitious Agenda
 Disparities among the Member States
 Indian Design and Dominant Posture
 Financial Constraints
 Lack of Political Co-operation

6. Non- Aligned Movement.

The NAM is one of the most important forums in the world being second in size and
membership to the United Nations. The Non-Aligned Movement presently comprises 113
members as compared to the 25 that attended the first Summit held in erstwhile Yugoslavia in
1961.

PAKISTAN AND THE NAM

Pakistan joined NAM in 1979 although it participated actively in the 1 st Conference and
attended the 5th as an observer. This was due to the fact that Pakistan was a member of CENTO
and SEATO. Pakistan got rid of these organizations after the war with India in 1965 and 1971
when the sponsors of SEATO and CENTO did not offer any help.
Today Pakistan participates actively in the programs of NAM and advocates effectively in
problems relating to its member countries.
Pakistan has placed the case of foreign interference in Afghanistan in its 7 th conference and was
able to get most of the members confirm Pakistan stand on the problem and its equitable
solution.
The NAM re-affirmed the right of all states to apply and develop their programs for peaceful
uses of nuclear energy for economic and social development.