US’ meddling in Pakistan’s internal affairs doomed to fail

Editor's Note: The author is Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, Executive Director of the Center for South Asia & International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad and Regional Expert on China, BRI & CPEC. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of Gwadar Pro.

 

Most recently, the US Democratic party Congressman Brad Sherman expressed concern over the alleged persecution of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers as well as journalists over the past year. It seems that once again, the US lawmakers are trying to undermine the incumbent Pakistani government and its various policies to protect their own vested interests in the country and region alike.

It was not the first time. The US has committed a series of crimes that seriously violate international law, dignity of human rights not confined to crimes against humanity in the shape of arbitrary detention, and indiscriminate unilateral socio-economic sanctions in the world, causing social unrest and further widening between the developed and developing/under-developing countries.

For example, the US has been notorious for brutal racial discrimination and police violence in the world. It has been inflicting massive casualties on refugees in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. It intentionally withdrew from the Human Rights Council, and refused to ratify human rights treaties, sanctioned ICC prosecutor and imposed unilateral sanctions on other countries showing its constant disrespect for the rule of law.

American historian Paul Atwood, in his book titled "War and Empire: The American Way of Life" pointed out that war is the American way of life. Statistics from the U.S. Smithsonian Institution Magazine have reconfirmed that since 2001, wars and military operations launched by the US in the name of fighting human rights violations and anti-terrorism covered about 40 percent of the countries in this world. The US has waged war or conducted military operations in about 80 countries in the name of "war on terror", resulting in the deaths of more than 900,000 people, including 300,000 civilians and badly violated basic human rights of their people.

And despite all claims of its founding fathers about human equality and freedom, slavery was preserved in its Constitution of 1789. Moreover, systemic discrimination against racial minorities still exists in the country. In a so-called civilized country like the US, racial persecution of the indigenous people still exists and discrimination against the Muslim community worsens which has further widened racial economic divide. Several decades after Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech, people still see a brutal reality as reflected in George Floyd's "I can't breathe" plea showcasing the true colors of the US plea and persuasions of so-called anti-human rights violations in the world.

To conclude, the land and history of the US are full of shambles and shameful deeds. Its successive governments and establishments have been supporting imperialistic designs through hegemonic plans on the pretext of so-called violations of human rights, gender discrimination, marginalization of minorities and last but not least denial of democracy and democratic means implemented in different parts of the world due to which many countries and their communities have been in the line of fire.

In this regard, the international communities, countries and organizations have been advocating to the US not interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries on the pretext of violation of human rights because it promote lawlessness and decries spirits of true globalization.

The US' constant smearing and bullies against other countries on the issues of human rights violation will achieve nothing but further harm spirits of globalization and international system of cooperation and coordination.