National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf has admitted that Pakistan’s foreign policy is still not free from the influence of the United States.
Talking to a private news channel, Moeed was candid when he said “it is [foreign policy] still not free [from US influence] and I doubt that there is any country which is free from it.”
The security adviser said Pakistan does not have financial and economic independence, as “the country does not have enough capital to meet the national requirements.”
“When we cannot [fulfill] the demands, we seek foreign loans. When you procure loans, your economic sovereignty is compromised,” Moeed added.
He said a country’s economic sovereignty is comprised whenever it seeks loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or any other institution.
“It affects a country’s foreign policy, and when foreign policy is affected, you cannot run the affairs, as they would be in an ideal situation,” he said when asked about Pakistan’s plans on Afghanistan.
Moeed noted that when a country is dependent on international money lenders, it cannot allocate resources for human welfare or traditional security — armed forces and internal security.
“A country cannot have financial independence till it fulfills all local demands through its own resources,” the national security adviser said.
He said implementation of the country’s first-ever National Security Policy (NSP) would be ensured through a clearly devised framework for state institutions.
The NSA said there was a comprehensive implementation framework for state institutions in the document of the policy. Yusuf said economic and human security are at the NSP’s core.
About Pakistan-India relations, he said Islamabad wants to improve ties with New Delhi, as higher connectivity will boost the economy and alleviate poverty in the region.
However, the adviser said Pakistan had to halt backdoor diplomatic contacts with India due to New Delhi’s non-seriousness and extremist mindset.
He said Pakistan’s principal stance is that India should care for Kashmiris on humanitarian grounds and revoke its August 5, 2019, measures to resume bilateral talks.
