By Haider Abbas
Pakistan is in deep quandary. Its outgoing PM Imran Khan was with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the eve before Russia-Ukraine war started in February, and US, an ally of Ukraine could not see to it. Imran Khan was dislodged and a US puppet PM Shahbaz Sharif took over the reins on April 10. Imran Khan was a strong votary to buy Russian oil and gas, which did not happen, and instead Shahbaz Sharif increased petrol prizes manifold and there is a new chaos brewing in everyday polity in Pakistan. Shahbaz Sharif could not dare buy from Russia, as that was to invite US sanctions, and now Pakistan, is learnt to be supplying ammunitions to Ukraine to attack Russia!
Pakistan therefore is in a desperate state to anyhow woo US, so as to get to any aid from IMF and to again forge itself into the good-books of US. The recent killing at Al Qaeda Chief Ayman Zawahiri on July 31, by the purported US drone could never have happened if not supported by Pakistan? Who provided the airspace? Everyone knows the answer. Did the drone come from Central Asian states or from Pakistan is what the world is still probing. Pakistan, internal turmoil since the ouster of Imran Khan has been doubly crippled by the increasing death-toll due to the floods as well. How Pakistan, is now to recuperate if not to keep US in utmost good humour? The ends are to justify the means. Pakistan, after having shown some teeth to hobnob with Russia, in the wake of US withdrawal from Afghanistan, is now back to bend on its knees, before the US, all over again.
There are now reports in media that the ammunition from UK being supplied to Ukraine is actually Pakistan made, as Ukraine Weapons Tracker on its twitter lauded as to how Ukraine is getting help from unorthodox sources as 122m HE artillery projectiles made by Pakistan Ordinance Factories have been spotted in Ukraine.
The prime reason for Pakistan ammunition to be supplied to Ukraine to combat the Russian forces, is also due to the fact that the Russian-Ukraine war is now in a very crucial state, as more than six-months have gone past-by, and US and the Western nations, want to anyhow bolster the fighting capacities of Ukraine at every cost. But, the supply lines from US and West are also into hiccups as it has been reported from RealClearDefense that ‘ Pentagon officials are concerned that U.S. ammunition stocks donated to Ukraine have severely depleted U.S. stocks, weakening U.S. readiness in the event of a conflict. The level of 155mm combat rounds, fired by the howitzer weapons system, in U.S. stockpiles has become “uncomfortably low,” a Pentagon official told. The U.S. has sent 806,000 rounds of the 100-pound explosives to Ukraine as of August 24. “It is not at the level we would like to go into combat,” the defense official told. U.S.-supplied howitzers have seen extended use from Ukrainian forces since entering into conflict in late May, it has taken few steps to replenish depleting stocks, sparking worries that the U.S. may not have the ammunition it needs for its own protection.’
The same scarcity had hit France, within days of Russian-Ukraine conflict, as it was learnt by mid-March that France had run out of its ammo due to its supplies towards Ukraine! The Express.Co.UK had reported on March 16, that France President Emmanuel Macron was ‘humiliated as France could run out of ammo within DAYS of war with Russia. ‘French army’s ammunition reserves were so low, according to some of sources, they could provide autonomy of “four days” at most”.’ It may well be understood that US has put its overwhelming clout over Pakistan to force it to start to supply ammunitions and projectiles to Ukraine, to help Ukraine regain its lost ground against the Russian forces, as it is expected that Ukraine is now to gear to wrest back its areas from Russia too soon.
US in its reciprocal gesture, on August 30, has announced a 30 million USD aid to Pakistan, devastated by the floods, and UN and Pakistan have sought an additional 160 million USD in ‘emergency funds for nearly a half million displaced victims of record-breaking floods that have killed 1,162 people since mid-June’ . This has come in togetherness with the release of 1.2 billion USD from IMF, on the signal of US, to the cash strapped Pakistan, reported VOA on August 29, as US considers that Pakistan economy has been eroded due to the spillovers from the war in Ukraine and internal strife. Hence, US is now to shoulder Pakistan’s burden to help Pakistan thwart Russia in Ukraine.
There is no denying the fact that Pakistan has been rocked between the devil and the deep sea, since Imran Khan had bid adieu, as Pakistan, which wanted to ‘sail its boat’, towards Russia for the sake of energy products and wheat etc, has been forced to snap it all, and now even Afghanistan, is cruising for it as very soon Russian ‘oil and gas’ supplies are to make-a-run towards Kabul, much to the amazement of US, and India too, despite the dread of US sanctions, has been well ahead with the Russian oil supplies etc at a much discounted rates. All this is just adding to the nemesis towards Pakistan, which is passing through its rough -weather-spot, not only in terms of its internal and external policies but also from natural weather conditions.
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The writer is a former UP State Information Commissioner and writes on UP politics.