Department of Mechanical Engineering

BS Mechanical Engineering
Fall 2020

Subject: Pakistan Studies Quiz No. 5

Resources Person: Muhammad Ishaq email: v30888@umt.edu.pk

Name Fahad Butt

Roll No. F2019134038
Section D

1. Write about four dilemmas faced by Pakistan after the Cold War era.
(1979-1999). 10 Marks
After the cold war ended, Pakistan faced several issues. The rising global
threat of terrorism, peace along it’s border and Pakistan being isolated
on World stage, all were playing their role against Pakistan’s favor.
Following are the Four dillemas faced by Pakistan after cold war era.

● Protection of Nuclear assets

● Kargil War
● Political Instability
● War On Terror (9/11)

● Protection of Nuclear assets

During cold war era, USA turned a blind eye towards

Pakistan’s nuclear programme as Pakistan was one the most important
ally of USA during cold war and even participated in several of American
wars around the globe. But as soon as the cold war was over, USA didn’t
need Pakistan anymore as it’s ally. Therefore, a Presseler Amendment
was passed against Pakistan which banned most economic and military
assistance to Pakistan unless the president certified on an annual basis that
"Pakistan does not possess a nuclear explosive device and that the
proposed United States assistance program will reduce significantly the risk
that Pakistan will possess a nuclear explosive device.” Pakistan, of whom
economy relied on foreign aid was severely impacted by this however
Pakistan kept it’s momentum towards acquiring Nuclear bomb to cope with
ever widening conventional weapon superiority gap between Pakistan and
India. But if USA tried to hurdle the Pakistan’s nuclear programme by
means of stopping economic aid, there was a threat of Israel that it may
conduct similar to Operation Opera in Iraq against Pakistan. Israeli fighters
lacked the range to conduct the similar operation in Pakistan but Israel
asked India to lend it’s air bases to conduct operation in Pakistan to which
India refused. Also, the Israel ministry in USA sent message to Pakistan’s
ministry in USA that there are no such Israeli plans to conduct operations
against Pakistan’s nuclear installations. Nevertheless, the threat still
existed. Israel has conducted operations that seem legendary and magical
like that of Operation focus thus can not be ignored. To deal with the threat,
Pakistan let out a message loud and clear that any attack on Pakistan’s
installations will be met with an equivalent if not more retaliation from
Pakistan and by the end of the day, there would lay waste on Tel Aviv’s
Nuclear Reactor. Pakistan Air Force Conducted practice missions on mock
Israeli Nuclear Installments to ensure that it’s message is listened properly.
As the tensions were rising, India conducted several Nuclear tests in
Pokhran Desserts and afterwards started to flex it’s muscle against
Pakistan in the form cease fire violations and constant bombardment of
mortar shell and firing along the border. Pakistan till then was undeclared
nuclear power just like Israel but now, Pakistan was forced to reply. USA
obviously didn’t want that and forced Pakistan. USA even offered massive
economic and military aids to Pakistan provided the tests weren’t
conducted. But the Pakistan had already decided and so, on 28 th of May,
the tests were conducted in reply on India. Soon afterwards, economic
sanctions were placed on Pakistan. Pakistan was punished for it’s Nuclear
tests but nevertheless, India was happy as no economic sanctions were
placed against India. In fact, during G7 summit, German chancellor said
India can conduct more tests if it wants so. It was a challenge for Pakistan’s
foreign policy to correct Pakistan’s image on International stage.

● Kargil War
After Pakistan conducted Nuclear tests, The Indian
conventional threat
was neutralized. Pakistan even though facing international pressure, was
pretty much happy with what it had accomplished. It was during these
times that a Pakistani general along the LoC observed that there are
literally no Indian military installations along LoC because of winter.
This amazing development sent Pakistan’s Strategic departments into
frenzy as such a big blunder could not have been expected from India.
Pakistan wanted to take advantage of the situation. So Pakistan did,
Pakistan developed proper supply lines and set several posts within
Indian occupied Kashmir. Pakistan’s COAS, General Perwaiz Musharraf
ensured the success of the operation to Pakistan’s PM and Pakistan’s PM
give go-ahead to it. In the following months, when winter became less
ferocious, Indian soldiers came back only to be pounded by heavy
machine fire from top of the hills. India was completely unaware of
what was happening and was caught off-guard. Pakistani forces
maintained heavy fire on Indian forces and India lost several of it’s
soldiers in trying to occupy the mountain tops. Most important of which
were Tiger Hills etc. However, there was no clear objective of Pakistani
forces in Kargil except stay defensive and hold territory they had
occupied. This gave Indian Military enough time to make a proper
strategy against the forces on hills. When India protested on World stage
against Pakistan, Pakistan denied any military assets in occupied
Kashmir, and told that it’s actually Mujahideen who have occupied the
 hills. However, the presence of Anza missiles said something else.
Because of Pakistan’s denial, Pakistan was now in hot waters about how
to support it’s troops. As a result, Pakistan’s supply lines dwindled.
Moreover, India was mounting several offensives against the Pakistan
Forces on hills. Most famous of which was operation Safed Sagar or
White Sea which resulted in several casualties on Pakistani sides. India
did lost one helicopter during these operations. Eventually, Indian Air
Force’s relentless bombing and rocketing, the destructive fire of bofor
guns and with foreign Israeli help in the form of satellite images, Indian
forces managed to uproot Pakistan’s presence in Kargil. The Indian
victory and subsequent proofs against Pakistan’s military being involved
in the Kargil lead to a world-wide insult of Pakistan. Pakistan lost it’s
face as a peace-keeping Nation as a result. Not only that, It lead to
political instability within Pakistan itself which lead to country’s fourth
and last Marshal Law up to this date.
● Political Instability
After Kargil war ended, an internal power struggle ensued
between military establishment and civil government. The government
blamed military establishment for it’s failure in Kargil while Military
blamed Government for the defeat. The blame game continued and
situation worsened. However, things on the surface didn’t seem as bad
as for they were under the surface. Moreover, the situation worsened
when the Plane carrying Pakistan’s COAS was not allowed to land
anywhere in Pakistan. However, Army successfully took over the airport,
and the plane landed while it was left only minutes of fuel left. Before
the COAS landed, the triple A brigade had already taken over the
important assets of Pakistan’s government namely, PTV and Pakistan
radio, soon afterwards, Marshal Law was declared. It was the fourth
marshal law in the country and Perwaiz Musharraf was the 4th dictator.
The move was seen by world as a hostile and Pakistan had to bear the
insult yet once again because in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,the
principles of Democracy were not upheld. The PM of Pakistan was forced
to dissolve assemblies and even faced death threat similar to that of Mr.
Bhutto. However, successful intervention of American President Bill
Clinton, and Saudi officials allowed PM Nawaz Shareef to be exiled from
country. But even after all this, in september 2001, the American mood
suddenly changed towards the military establishment of Pakistan.
● War On Terror (9/11)
On September 11, the World Twin towers were hit and
levelled by two hijack planes. Another plane was to hit Pentagon and
another one White house but failed to do so and crashed. More than
3000 people died in one of the worst terrorist attack in the Modern day
History. Soon, USA declared that the attacks were conducted by Osama
Bin Laden who was in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden was under the
protection of Taliban in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden refused to take
responsibility and Taliban also refused to give Osama to Afghanistan.
The US president Mr. George W. Bush gave ultimatum to Afghanistan’s
Government. Moreover, Pakistan was also contacted to help USA in the
upcoming war. The USA’s general made it clear to his Pakistani
counterpart that there is no neutral point in this war, USA will bomb
Pakistan back to stone age if Pakistan refused to cooperated against
Taliban. Pakistan obliged. As a result, Pakistan allowed US to have
several air bases on Pakistani soil and allow supply routes through
Pakistan in Afghanistan. In return, economic and military aids were
given to Pakistan. Pakistan’s economy flourished but at the expense of
it’s former ally, the Taliban. Sooner, Taliban also turned against
Pakistan and a wave of terrorist attacks swept throughout Pakistan.
Pakistan suffered massively because of war on terror. In the upcoming
years, Pakistan suffered huge civilian casualties, lot more than the
causalities on the Day of 9/11. The dilemma of War on terror continues
to this day.

THANKS