Interview

Ambassador Shah: Accelerating dialogues

by Bernard KENNEDY

Ambassador Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah of Pakistan arrived in Ankara three months ago after serving for almost five years as governor of North West Frontier Province. A retired lieutenant-general and former minister of communications, the ambassador has previously served as naval and military attaché in India and in Saudi Arabia. His conversation with DIPLOMAT spanned his previous responsibilities, Pakistan's ties with Turkey and other key issues in Pakistan's foreign relations.

Q   How are you settling in? Have you had a chance to travel around the country yet?

A   I thought this would be the holiday season but actually it has been a very hectic period for us. I have not gone away on holiday but I have done quite a lot of travelling on official business I have been to Istanbul a couple of times: one of our ministers was there for a conference. I have been to Antalya because our naval ships were visiting Turkey. I have been to Trabzon. I have been to Izmir twice: we are participating in the Fair. I have been to Macedonia to present my credentials. So I have moved around quite a lot.

Q   Have you noticed any similarities between Ankara and Islamabad, another modern capital?

A   Yes, there are a lot of similarities. But of course, Ankara already existed as an old city before it became the capital, whereas Islamabad is a new city altogether.

Q   Your previous post was as governor of North West Frontier Province. What did that involve?

A   You have two responsibilities. First, you are the constitutional head of the province. However, responsibility for law enforcement and the development of the province rests on the shoulders of the chief minister and his cabinet and the provincial assembly. Second, you are also the chief executive of the tribal belt - a semi-autonomous region sandwiched between the province and the Afghan border, which we call the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Here you are responsible for development, law and order, all kinds of activities... So this keeps you quite busy.

Q   The area has an image as a troubled region associated with refugee problems and the Taliban. What is it really like?

A   Actually, I found it to be the most peaceful area of Pakistan. I think the image is distorted. Reporters come from the West looking for exaggerated stories. It is really quite safe. We have had more trouble in Quetta or Karachi or elsewhere. During my time in Peshawar there was not a single incident of violence or any terrorism-related activity. The army and law enforcing agencies have been very alert. In addition, the population is thinly spread and distances are wide. It is much easier for suicide bombers, for example, to operate in areas with a heavy concentration of population.

Q   What is the state of confidence-building and relations with India?

A   The process of confidence-building measures is in motion. The composite dialogue is also taking place. There have been people-to-people contacts, and visits by parliamentarians and the heads of government departments. The one thing which is proving to be irksome is that Pakistan is not happy with the progress which is being made. We think it is too slow. For this reason, Pakistan is urging India to speed up the resolution of various issues.

Q   Do you think full agreement can be reached on all issues, say, within the next few years?

A   If there is a will, there is a way. Pakistan has stated that it is prepared to show flexibility on its previous stance and has asked India to be flexible too. But if only one side is trying to show flexibility, then there will be difficulties.

Q   You were in India yourself at one time...

A   Yes, I was there between 1989 and 1992. There were periods of stress and strain - the political environment had its effect on all of us. And when the relations improved we were affected too. It was all part of the job. I think Pakistanis and Indians become different persons when they sit across a table. At a personal level, they get along very well.

Q   What are Pakistan's policies as a nuclear power?

A   Pakistan's nuclear ambition is restricted to having a credible deterrence for self-defence. We have no hegemonistic ambitions in the area. Our programme came about as a result of India's explosions in 1974. This whole arms race in the sub-continent was set in motion by the Indians. That was when it was decided that we should have our own nuclear weapons. And once we have achieved that, and we have also acquired a delivery system, Pakistan will be content

Q   What is the condition of Pakistani politics? Where are we in the cycle of military rule and democracy?

A   Military rule is over. Elections have been held in the provinces and at the federal level. The president too has been elected by both the houses. He has been allowed to remain in uniform for the sake of better links between the armed forces and the government. This was primarily because of the trouble with al-Qaeda and extremist elements - not to rein in the political forces. We have just had the second local government elections and in 2007 the next parliamentary elections are due. The routine mud-slinging of the political parties goes on as in any political system.

The track record of the government has been good ever since President Pervez Musharraf took over and ever since the elections in 2002. The economic indicators are looking very good. Our inflation has remained confined to single digits, our GDP growth has been hovering at 8-9% and foreign exchange earnings have increased to about US$12bn. Losses of state enterprises have been reduced and the government has embarked on a major privatisation programme. The Asian Development Bank and the World Bank are quite happy with our policies - we have rid ourselves of the IMF facility. So I think if we continue pursuing these policies for another two or three years, that will be a good foundation for political stability too.

Q   I noticed the Pakistani and Israeli foreign ministers met in Istanbul recently. What was the story behind that?

A   Contacts with the Israelis had been going on for quite some time. Israel had taken some positive steps such as the vacation of the Gaza Strip. We thought that Pakistan as a responsible nuclear power and the second-largest Islamic state should show its appreciation of this gesture while at the same time suggesting to the Israelis that there is still more to be done on the establishment of the Palestinian state and other issues. So a decision was taken to engage Israel. Unless you talk to them, how are you going to plead the case of the Palestinians? But it has been made clear that this initiative does not mean that Pakistan is in a hurry to recognise Israel.

Q   Why was Turkey chosen as the venue?

A   Among the Muslim countries Turkey was one which had very good relations with Israel and also extremely good relations with Pakistan. Whatever we wanted to say we could say with confidence. I think the meeting went off very well.

Q   Can you elaborate on the relations between Turkey and Pakistan?

A   The relations between Turkey and Pakistan are age-old relations. The relations between the peoples of the two countries existed before either the modern Republic of Turkey or Pakistan came into being. The older generation can still remember this. There is a lot of commonality in the language, culture, history and traditions.

Ever since Pakistan came into being, our political relations have been extremely good regardless of which party has been ruling Turkey. When you go out on the street here and you tell somebody that you are from Pakistan, you see a lot of respect in the eyes of those people and they treat you quite differently. A similar situation exists as far as the Turks are concerned when they visit Pakistan: they are given some very special treatment - from the man in the street who doesn't know anything about politics. So that is the type of relationship we have. The armed forces of the two countries also train together and visit each other frequently and collaborate on certain things.

Q   What are your priorities during your term of office as ambassador here?

A    To promote trade. Both Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, when he visited Pakistan in 2003, and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz when he visited Turkey in May this year, emphasised that we should raise the volume of trade from US$380m to about US$1bn. So we have been asking the private sector to identify any bottlenecks or problem areas which when removed will facilitate this trade. For example, easing of the visa regime was one issue which I think has been sorted out to a large extent. Drafts are now being exchanged for a preferential trade agreement. With an increase in trade, we will have all-encompassing relations.

(DIPLOMAT  -  September 2005  -  Ankara)