‘..Britain’s friendship with Pakistan is Unbreakable.’

This was part of David Cameron’s opening remark as he arrived in Pakistan for his meeting with his counterpart Yousaf Gilani. After the customary exchange of pleasantries, PM Cameron proceeded to say a few words about three areas in particular – trade, security and education.

David Cameron encouraged Gilani to continue economic reform, and pledged to increase British business (such as financial services) to increase investments in the country.
He also made a commitment to advocate increased access for Pakistan in Europe. The hollowness of such empty promises is clear for all to see. Historically, Britain’s interest in the Indian sub-continent was led by the East India Company’s desire to benefit from spices. The trade route to the East led to the purchase (by some accounts, by underhand means) in 1918 of a sparsely inhabited island now known as Singapore, from Sultan Jahore, purely to facilitate the transfer of wealth for economic benefit. The role of financial institutions in London in the current economic collapse is clear – bankers are now earning ‘well earned’ bonuses, even though the UK is in debt to the tune of almost £1,000bn – that’s over £30k for each household! Let’s not forget that the ‘EU free market’ has many ways of making non-EU goods fom countries such as Pakistan less competitive, through the use of legislation and technical barriers.

Secondly, PM Cameron stressed the need for a security dialogue, the threat of terrorism to both Pakistan and Britain, and the need to challenge the ‘extremist ideology’ as he is want to lately. It was quite stark, given his admission of Britain’s culpability in many of the world’s problems on the same day. At the same time, he is offering to assist in trying to resolve another problem of Britain’s own making (along with her allies). He was very careful not to mention Islam or Muslims on this occasion. Given Britain’s involvement in Palestine. Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, can she really be trusted to act in any interest other than her own? Cameron admitted as much himself, when he indicated that it was correct that Britain should act act in her own self interests only.

And finally, a carrot in the form of funding for schools and education. Bishop Desmond Tutu spoke of colonising missionaries, saying,

“When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.”

The tact is so transparent the most gullible can see through it. Britain’s policy of change for Pakistan:

· Let us educate you with our ‘bible’ of western values (see an example of the foreign texts already being taught in Pakistani schools here);

· Allow us to take the ‘land’ in the shape of the wealth of the elite that remains in the country, and stifle opportunity for economic self-sufficiency by encouraging foreign trade to Pakistan;

· Let us eliminate any real political opposition by eradicating this ‘extremist ideology’ that’s calls for a new world order based on sharia law.

Now that’s the basis for an unbreakable friendship. Unfortunately, the Pakistani PM will no doubt see the pros of the argument. But as Arundhati Roy, the famous Indian writer said, debating the pros and cons of colonialism, which is essentially what David Cameron is proposing, is “a bit like debating the pros and cons of rape.”


Bayyina Foundaton

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