Subject: An open letter to the PM of Pakistan
An open letter by concerned Pakistani expatriates to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif.
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DRAFT LETTER TO THE PM ...
Respected Prime Minister of Pakistan
Mian Muhammed Nawaz Sharif Sahib
Pakistan again stands at a critical juncture in its history. The
recent nuclear detonations by India have jeopardized the stability
of the entire region and has put Pakistan's security at a severe
risk. As patriotic Pakistanis who are currently not resident in
Pakistan, we stand by our leadership and our country in this sombre
hour of reflection and decision.
Respected Prime Minister, though the current situation is very
tense in the sub-continent due to the rash actions of our
belligerent
neighbour, we should not fail to recognize that history has granted
us a golden opportunity that can be decidedly turned into
Pakistan's favor. By sheer lack of foresight, India has put
Pakistan in a dominant position globally, evidenced by unanimous
condemnation of India's actions. This position can be translated
into substantial
political and economic gains for Pakistan. In addition, we have
also been granted the luxury of producing a deliberated response to
India
which translates into a maximal benefit for Pakistan. It would be
unfortunate if we do not benefit from this unique position.
It is our humble advice that Pakistan not follow India's footsteps
immediately to detonate a nuclear device of its own. Instead it
should
demand a substantial price from all the concerned countries across
the world for its restraint. We suggest some of the demands:
1) That Pakistan be provided a guaranteed nuclear umbrella by China
or the West, with nuclear weapons on our soil, with the guarantee
that they
will be used in case of a nuclear aggression against Pakistan.
2) That Pakistan be provided with a comprehensive anti-ballistic
missile defense system, including early warning systems and
anti-ballistic
missile weaponry.
3) That the inventory of Pakistan's conventional forces be brought
up to par with NATO standards. This will guarantee that any
conventional
military misadventure by India will not be translated into a
necessity for the use of nuclear weapons in a desparate situation.
The cost of
re-equipment of Pakistani forces and our subsequent military
budgets for the next decade be borne by nations not wishing a
nuclear arms
race in South Asia.
4) That Pakistan be provided with substantial economic and
developmental aid over the coming decades to stabilize the region.
5) The latest detonations by India clearly demonstrate the regional
political circumstances which have placed severe demands on the
Pakistani economy over the last decade. Pakistan has repeatedly tried to
bring this matter to the attention of the global community. However
Pakistan's efforts in this regard have sadly not been recognized.
Therefore, Pakistan should be
compensated for the additional economic burden it has had to bear
over the last decade in terms of relaxation of the conditionalities
related to
Pakistan's foreign debt.
Respected Prime Minister, we realize that there is intense pressure
within our dear homeland to respond to the aggression of India.
However, we must not let the heat of the moment drive us into a
course of action that denies us any aspect of this golden
opportunity. This is a moment for calm and deliberated decision,
and we hope that you will show your characteristic foresight in
this
matter.
We would like to re-iterate that this immediate course of action
does not preclude the testing of a nuclear device of our own at any
time in the
future. However, this course of action allows us to fully exploit
the unique opportunity afforded to us at the moment.