Our Country and the Muslim world
The freedom movement of the Muslims of the sub-continent was based on the Islamic Ideology, which meant, the safeguard of the Islamic culture and civilization. It also aimed at protecting the rights and interests of the Muslims who were being suppressed and dominated in every walk of life by the Hindu Majority in United India. Pakistan, therefore, was demanded with the ultimate objective of making it a strong fortress of Islam and enabling Muslims to five according to the principles of Islam.
In view of these objectives Pakistan had to develop close relations with the Islamic world. Let us view the relationship of our country with some other countries of the Muslim world.
Pakistan and Afghanistan
Afghanistan is situated in the north of the Khyber Pukhtunkuwa province of Pakistan. It has common border with Pakistan and occupies a territory of 251,773 sq. miles. The majority of the population is Sunni Muslims. Although Afghanistan is a Muslim country yet it has always pursued a hostile policy towards Pakistan since independence.
The government of Pakistan decided to develop diplomatic relations with Afghanistan in February 1948. With the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, it was hoped that friendly ties would be strengthened with time. Consequently the prominent leaders of the two countries exchanged visits to each others countries. The leaders of the two countries exchanged visits in order to reconcile and develop friendly relations. As agreement allowing trade passage toe Afghanistan through Pakistan was concluded between the two countries in 1958. Shah Zahir Shah, the Afghan ruler adopted a more friendly attitude towards Pakistan. He followed a liberal policy and expressed his desire of cultivating friendly relations with Pakistan. After Zahir Shah, Sardar Daud came to Pakistan on 20th August 1976 on an official tour. he exchanged views and expressed his desire of maintaining friendly relations with Pakistan.
On 27th December 1979, nearly 120,000, Russian troops entered Afghanistan. However, the soviet troops could not stand the bravery of the Afghan people and had to pull out, then America invaded Afghanistan for finish Al-Qaeda. Pakistan still supports the U.S backed government in Afghanistan. The recent president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai has visited Pakistan and many Pakistanis are helping their Afghan brethren in Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Bangladesh
Ideologically Pakistan and Bangladesh were two parts of one country. Present Bangladesh was the former Eastern part of Pakistan before December 1971, when Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign state. Pakistan and Bangladesh sat down and neviewed all the available facts and urged each other to restore the broken bands of brotherhood between the people of the two countries.
An agreement between Pakistan and Bangladesh was concluded on 23rd January, 1976 by which telecommunication links were established. Telephone and teleprinter services were instituted between Rawalpindi and Dhaka on 13th February 1976, on experimental basis. These agreements brought the two countries closer to each other. Another agreement was reached between the two countries after talks in Dhaka on 24th July 1976, by which it was agreed upon to exchange delegations on Banking and shipping. Further measures were announced to promote trade between the two states.
On 21st July 1979, a joint economic commission was established between Pakistan and Bangladesh in order to promote Economic collaboration. In 1980 bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh were established on broader perspective and mutual understanding.
A number of trade agreements have been concluded between Pakistan and Bangladesh. A seven member trade delegation under Mr. N.H Khan visited Pakistan on 1st January 1987. They held discussions with Economic Affairs Division and expressed their desire to promote trade and commerce between the two friendly nations.
The relations between Pakistan and Indonesia existed even before the establishment of Pakistan. the cordial relations between the two nations were initiated when the prominent leaders of Indonesia sent messages for help in the freedom struggle of Indonesia to the president of All India Muslim league, Quaide-e-Azam and congress leaders. The messages were delivered through Mr. Abdul Rehman Azam Bey, the secretary General Arab league. The Quaid-e-Azam asked the Indian Muslims to take part in the freedom struggle of Indonesia. The Quaid-e-Azam sent 600 soldiers to Indonesia to fight by the side of their Indonesian brothers. Majority of these soldiers laid their lives while fighting the Indonesian cause. The government of Indonesia paying tributes to the bravery in a book entitled "The six Hundred brave Pakistani soldiers".
Pakistan extended maximum help and assistance to Indonesia in its struggle for independence when Holland attached Indonesia in 1948. Pakistan strongly condemned the aggresion and cancelled the air licence of KLM, the national voice in the U.N.O in favour of independence struggle of Indonesia, when Indonesia got independence in 1949 Pakistan immediately extended its recognition to the Government of Indonesia, President Sukarno of Indonesia was the first foreign ruler to visit Pakistan in 1950.
Libya an important oil rich state of North Africa remained under foreign rule for many years. In 1951 it gained independence from the foreign domination and Shah Idrees kingship was established. Pakistan advocated Libya's freedom struggle which bought the people of both countries closer to each other. A ministerial commission was sent up in 1947 by an agreement concluded between the two brotherly countries. Joint ventures in Banking, Insurance and shipping have been established in both countries. A joint Pak-Libya Company was set up in the meeting of a the Ministerial commission held in Libya.
The Libyan Government has always extended financial and other support to Pakistan's hour of need, it has given Lavish loans and economic aid to Pakistan to meet it economic requirements. In 1974 the central Bank of Libya gave a loan of five crore dollars to Pakistan.
In October 1978 a joint Pak-Libya Holding company was set up. Libya has expressed its interest in launching joint ventures with Pakistan in several spheres of development.
