Loud Thinking August 02, 2013 at 06:37AM

A 2009 email to Ex. Deputy Assistant of Defense for Counter Narcotics USA suggesting a Marshall Plan for Pakistan.

(President Asif Ali Zardari met Mr. John Kerry US Secretary of State on 1 Aug, 2013 and asked for a Marshall Plan for Pakistan).

Richard J Douglas,
Ex. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counter Narcotics,
U.S.A.

ASSALAM-O-ALIKUM.

I am immensely touched by your article titled ‘ The Pakistani Soldier ‘ published in the daily ” THE NEWS ” dated June 20, 2009. The reason being that, it is a genuine tribute to the many hundreds of thousands of Pakistani armed forces personnel, who are sacrificing their today for a better tomorrow, not only of Pakistan, but of the entire peace loving humanity of the world.

In fact, right from day one of the inception of Pakistan, its soldiers have relentlessly served the cause of peace in & outside Pakistan. One example must be still fresh in the minds of the freedom loving Americans. I am referring to the daring act of rescue of US soldiers in Somalia, by the brave Pakistani troops, who defied dangers to their own lives, to serve the cause of the humanity.

Now, what about the beautiful & capable Pakistan, of THE PAKISTANI SOLDIER. If you really want to serve the cause of peace & make this world a tranquil place, don’t treat Pakistani people as pariah of this world. If you have any doubts just go to the US airports and see how (legal Pakistani entrants ) are treated at your entry points ( my email, attached below, addressed to David Axelrod, Senior Advisor to the President of the USA, on the subject remains non replied till date). If no other nation of the free world, at least America owes we Pakistani people, a debt it can never repay (which I need not mention here, because we didn’t take on the USSR as a favour to USA. We stood for the cause of liberty & freedom only).

Today, Pakistan is paying a very heavy price for taking on the cause of liberty & freedom. In fact, the country is profusely bleeding from its wounds of terrorism.

As many Americans admit the mistake of leaving Pakistan in the lurch, after the Afghanistan war. Now it is high time to rebuild Pakistan. The world must come forward to make another Japan of Pakistan. And this objective can’t be achieved through loans & aid. No nation can be build with loans & aid. Rebuilding of Pakistan needs a 10 year Marshall plan (it may not cost more than one or two years defense expenditure of war in Afghanistan), which must broadly include the following strategy.

Ø Writing off the entire Debt of country.
Ø Allowing 100% duty free imports of Pakistani goods in all the countries.
Ø Revamping of entire Pakistani educational system on modern lines.
Ø Providing of world class health care system.
Ø Development of world class transportation infrastructure.
Ø Focus for development on small & medium size industry.
Ø Development of agriculture, livestock & dairy sectors on world standards.
Ø Settlement of Kashmir, water, Siachin & all other issues between Pakistan & India.
Ø Building of Maximum possible dams on the river system.
Ø Development & exploration (as per world standards) of natural resources.
Ø Development of wind energy to the maximum potential of the country.

I am very optimistic that under the visionary leadership of Mr. Obama & his dynamic team, the above proposals for helping Pakistani nation to stand on its feet, for the larger cause of the peace & freedom of this world, may not be a farfetched idea.

With best wishes and kind regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad.

Tags: My Views