Pakistan Foreign Ministry denies handing over military base to the US

Islamabad – Pakistan has been accused of handing over a military base to the United States in the region near the Afghanistan border. Russian, Iranian and Afghan news agencies had carried these reports. Pakistan, troubled by the reports, has immediately dismissed them. The Pakistan foreign ministry was forced to announce that no military base has been made available to the United States. Pakistani journalists claimed that China issued a direct threat to Pakistan over this matter. China threatened that if a military base is provided to the United States in Pakistan, it will believe that Pakistan has joined the front against China.

Locals informed that a US military base has come up in the Kurram region near the Afghan-Pakistan border. Eight to ten US military helicopters take off and land on the base every day. The locals also informed that new posts have been constructed for the security of the new military base. Russian, Iranian and Afghan news agencies had carried reports related to this. The Imran Khan government, who had announced that the US military would not be allowed to set foot in Pakistan, came in trouble, given these reports. Pakistani media and analysts expressed concerns over the issue. The media raised the question ‘Whether the Pakistan government decided to give a military base to the United States without consulting the Parliament?”

The Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman was forced to reply to these accusations. Foreign ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, said that Pakistan has not made any military or airbase available to the United States. But a new question is being raised, whether this answer of the Pakistan government, which has lost its credibility, is true. Some responsible journalists ask if Pakistan has the courage and option to say no to the United States?

The US military withdrawal from Afghanistan will be majorly depending on the US military bases in Pakistan because it will be tough for the United States to monitor the activities in Afghanistan if it does not get a base in Pakistan. Therefore, the United States requires a base near the Afghan border in Pakistan to attack the Taliban. Journalists also warn that if Pakistan refuses permission to the United States, the United States will finish Pakistan.

The United States, a superpower, can make Pakistan bankrupt by including it in the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force. These journalists expressed fears that the United States will destroy Pakistan by stopping Pakistan’s trade and investment coming into Pakistan. Therefore, these journalists point out that Pakistan is not left with any other option but to allow the United States to use its military bases. On the other hand, analysts are expressing fears that the war in Afghanistan will come to Pakistan if military bases are made available to the United States. Terror attacks will increase in Pakistan following this decision.

Moreover, these analysts are expressing fears that countries like Russia, Iran, China will go against Pakistan. China has threatened that if Pakistan gives a military base to the United States, it will be believed that Pakistan has joined the front against China. After that, China will stop the investment in the CPEC project and subsequently wind up the project. China has warned Pakistan that bilateral relations on all levels will be ended. The anti-US group in Pakistan feels that Pakistan should not give any military base to the United States. But it is now clear that whether Pakistan makes the base available or not will face dire consequences.

Therefore, indications are that Pakistan has made a base available to the United States and denies the reports on the official level. But Pakistan government will not be able to keep the real information regarding this under wraps for a long time. Prime Minister Imran Khan has already been cornered as the information has already appeared in the media. The Pakistan opposition party also is making preparations to corner the government.