Having a bad neighbour on one side, Pakistan really needed a friendly neighbour to balance things out. India has always been our arch enemy and a cunning neighbour involved in harassing Pakistan with grand designs for the region. We have been lucky in having China as our friend who is powerful economically and defensively and has been steadfast over diplomatic values and rights of neighbours especially for Pakistan. Chinese strategy is above international political conspiracies, regional affairs or mutual trade. Perhaps China has never forgotten Pakistan’s friendly gesture towards in 1950 when the West had concerns regarding Mao Tse Tung’s ideologies. At a time when Western countries were plotting against China,  only Pakistan came forward as a friend.
Due to Pakistan’s diplomatic struggle, Chinese relations with other Islamic countries were established and credit also goes to Pakistan for establishing secret relations between USA and China. The recent friendly gesture of China is the plan to construct a nuclear power plant in Karachi estimated to cost 6.5 billion and to be completed by 2019. A new wave of propaganda against Pak-China friendship has been observed as a reaction to this plan.
Pakistan is the only Muslim country that has nuclear capability and according to Western Defence analysts, Pakistan’s nuclear technology is much better and cost effective than other nuclear powers which has provided Pakistan with a chance to increase its nuclear capability in lesser time. Pakistan’s defence strategies are not possible without a stronger economy (and more energy needs met) in the future. This is why, while trying to fulfil energy demands through petroleum and gas Pakistan has been left far behind in the race for economic development.
Here arises the problem of the construction of the nuclear power plants through the support of China (which Pakistan needs on an emergency basis to fulfil its growing energy demands). The problem is not of corruption in Pak-China deals. The real problem in fact, is that Pak-China friendship, defence and economic cooperation is intolerable to the enemies of Pakistan.
SHER MUHAMMAD KHAN,
Multan, February 15.