'Master manipulator': Former IAF officer says Pakistan fooled US for decades, will do the same to China
Pakistan has long played a double game with the United States in the war on terror—positioning itself as a key ally while simultaneously sheltering and supporting the very militant groups it pledged to fight
- Jun 8, 2025,
- Updated Jun 8, 2025 8:13 AM IST
Former Air Force Group Captain Ajay Ahlawat on Saturday criticised Pakistan's strategic conduct, calling it a master of deception that has historically exploited global powers. Reacting to an article by US political scientist C. Christine Fair, Ahlawat wrote: "Pakistan is the master manipulator. They fool everyone—spare no one. They fed on USA's largess for decades, while fooling them. They would do the same to China—just a matter of time."
Ahlawat's remarks came after Fair shared a detailed commentary on Washington's persistent misreading of Pakistan, despite its long record of duplicity. In her article titled ‘How Pakistan Beguiles the Americans’, Fair outlines how US officials repeatedly fell for Pakistan's carefully constructed narratives, driven by soft power, strategic manipulation, and rent-seeking behavior.
"Over the years, I’ve had the occasion to meet various officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington. They have all at one point or another asked the same questions: ‘How do the Pakistanis keep beguiling you Americans? How does this rogue state continue to receive billions of dollars of aid and military assistance while supporting terrorism and being an irresponsible nuclear weapons state?’” Fair writes.
She explains that Pakistan’s leverage comes not just from its nuclear deterrent and terror networks, but also from how it cultivates sympathy through “hospitality,” “well-spoken lies,” and “military tourism.” According to her, many US officials working on Pakistan are “well-intended ingénues” unfamiliar with the regional complexities.
Fair argues that Pakistan's rentier-state strategy predates the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. She cites research by Husain Haqqani and others to show that Pakistan launched its jihadist strategy as early as 1973–74, under Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, well before the US became involved in the region’s anti-Soviet efforts.
“Pakistan began its jihad policy between 1973 and 1974, after Mohammad Daoud Khan ousted the popular King Zahir Shah,” she writes. “At that time, Pakistan's civilian autocrat, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, established the ISI Afghanistan Cell to instrument Islamists...By the time the Soviets crossed the Amu Darya on Christmas Day 1979, the main so-called mujahideen parties had already been formed. Pakistan did this all on its own dime because manipulating events in Afghanistan has been an enduring Pakistani strategic objective since 1947.”
Fair also notes Pakistan's strategic contradictions — courting communist China while insisting on being part of anti-communist pacts, and ignoring treaty obligations in major US wars. "While Pakistanis decry America's 'failure' to come to its aid (during the India-Bangladesh war) when the United States had no obligation to do so, Pakistan courted communist China during the same period that it insisted upon being included in pacts that were explicitly designed to counter communism."
Moreover, Fair adds, despite its treaty obligations to the United States through SEATO, Pakistan did not participate in the Korean or Vietnam Wars and demurred from citing China as the aggressors. She further says that Pakistan repeatedly repackaged its geopolitical significance to gain aid while pursuing its own objectives, particularly in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has long played a double game with the United States in the war on terror—positioning itself as a key ally while simultaneously sheltering and supporting the very militant groups it pledged to fight. Despite receiving billions in American aid since 2001, Pakistan provided safe havens to Taliban leaders and the Haqqani network, enabling cross-border attacks on US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Former Air Force Group Captain Ajay Ahlawat on Saturday criticised Pakistan's strategic conduct, calling it a master of deception that has historically exploited global powers. Reacting to an article by US political scientist C. Christine Fair, Ahlawat wrote: "Pakistan is the master manipulator. They fool everyone—spare no one. They fed on USA's largess for decades, while fooling them. They would do the same to China—just a matter of time."
Ahlawat's remarks came after Fair shared a detailed commentary on Washington's persistent misreading of Pakistan, despite its long record of duplicity. In her article titled ‘How Pakistan Beguiles the Americans’, Fair outlines how US officials repeatedly fell for Pakistan's carefully constructed narratives, driven by soft power, strategic manipulation, and rent-seeking behavior.
"Over the years, I’ve had the occasion to meet various officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington. They have all at one point or another asked the same questions: ‘How do the Pakistanis keep beguiling you Americans? How does this rogue state continue to receive billions of dollars of aid and military assistance while supporting terrorism and being an irresponsible nuclear weapons state?’” Fair writes.
She explains that Pakistan’s leverage comes not just from its nuclear deterrent and terror networks, but also from how it cultivates sympathy through “hospitality,” “well-spoken lies,” and “military tourism.” According to her, many US officials working on Pakistan are “well-intended ingénues” unfamiliar with the regional complexities.
Fair argues that Pakistan's rentier-state strategy predates the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. She cites research by Husain Haqqani and others to show that Pakistan launched its jihadist strategy as early as 1973–74, under Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, well before the US became involved in the region’s anti-Soviet efforts.
“Pakistan began its jihad policy between 1973 and 1974, after Mohammad Daoud Khan ousted the popular King Zahir Shah,” she writes. “At that time, Pakistan's civilian autocrat, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, established the ISI Afghanistan Cell to instrument Islamists...By the time the Soviets crossed the Amu Darya on Christmas Day 1979, the main so-called mujahideen parties had already been formed. Pakistan did this all on its own dime because manipulating events in Afghanistan has been an enduring Pakistani strategic objective since 1947.”
Fair also notes Pakistan's strategic contradictions — courting communist China while insisting on being part of anti-communist pacts, and ignoring treaty obligations in major US wars. "While Pakistanis decry America's 'failure' to come to its aid (during the India-Bangladesh war) when the United States had no obligation to do so, Pakistan courted communist China during the same period that it insisted upon being included in pacts that were explicitly designed to counter communism."
Moreover, Fair adds, despite its treaty obligations to the United States through SEATO, Pakistan did not participate in the Korean or Vietnam Wars and demurred from citing China as the aggressors. She further says that Pakistan repeatedly repackaged its geopolitical significance to gain aid while pursuing its own objectives, particularly in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has long played a double game with the United States in the war on terror—positioning itself as a key ally while simultaneously sheltering and supporting the very militant groups it pledged to fight. Despite receiving billions in American aid since 2001, Pakistan provided safe havens to Taliban leaders and the Haqqani network, enabling cross-border attacks on US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.