‘Pakistan on the brink of ruin'( ‘Pakistan) 

Singapore: A former Singaporean diplomat has stated that Pakistan  ( ‘Pakistan)   is on the brink of ruin and its crisis stems from its military. If Pakistan did not possess nuclear bombs, no one would care about it. Former Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan made these remarks during a meeting with journalists as part of an international reporting fellowship.

‘Pakistan’s real problem is not India, but its own army and politicians’
This statement comes at a time when the Pakistani government frequently boasts about its geopolitical successes—such as its close ties with the US Republican Party—while the general public grapples with poverty and extremism. Discussing the poverty-stricken nation, Kausikan remarked that Pakistan’s problem is not India or Afghanistan, but rather its own politicians and military.

‘Even US friendship cannot save Pakistan’
Speaking on Pakistan’s role in mediation efforts during US-Iran tensions, he said, “Let me be very clear. Pakistan showed great agility and success in capitalizing on a diplomatic opportunity, which helped improve its diplomatic image—at least in the eyes of the US. But you know, that doesn’t put food in the bellies of the Pakistani people.” He was alluding to the deep economic crisis currently gripping Pakistan.

It is worth noting that Kausikan is a veteran diplomat who served as the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Singapore (2010–2013) and as Chairman of the Middle East Institute, an autonomous body under the National University of Singapore.

What did he say about Islamabad’s ties with the Trump administration?
Discussing Islamabad’s ‘alleged’ close relationship with the Trump administration in the US, Kausikan stated that Washington’s fundamental perspective on Islamabad remains unchanged. Describing Pakistan as a country “on the brink of ruin,” he stated that no diplomatic success could alter this fundamental reality. He added, “We should be grateful that the situation has not completely deteriorated, but that diplomatic achievement does not change the underlying truth. I do not think the US will completely lift all the sanctions imposed on Pakistan.”