Speakers at a seminar said on Monday said the successive governments had massively compromised security and development of its poor citizens, governance and decision-making at all levels.

Grim economic, energy situation and corruption are some of the key challenges the country is facing, the experts said at a seminar held here Monday.

Former DG ISI, defense and security analyst, Lt-Gen (retd) Asad Durrani said that allegations of Haqqani-ISI relationship were not entirely baseless. However, he said that the US was ‘scapegoating’ Pakistan over the issue as the US had lost war there.

“The US has lost such wars in history since it relies on brutal use of force without legitimacy,” he said speaking at the seminar titled ‘Violations and threats to Pakistans sovereignty and response’ organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

He said Pakistan had been taking action against militant groups on its territory while US was asking her to do more due to its occupation and security situation in Afghanistan.

He said NATO was fighting for its survival and perpetuation aiming reasons to exist and to ensure peace in Europe while carrying out extra-regional role as world policeman.

“But the fact is that a country that much depends upon others for its political and strategic reasons will have to struggle for its sovereignty,” the former DG ISI said about Pakistan.

Former Secretary General, Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Akram Zaki, said the US was not going to withdraw from Afghanistan but it was changing its role from a combating player to a long-term strategic presence involving India as a partner.

He said India adopted a new strategy which involved weakening of Pakistan from western side focusing Balochistan and Fata, strengthening control of flow of waters of Pakistan and having an offensive doctrine of military deployment at eastern-side.

He said initial alliance between US and Pakistan was on wrong notations as Pakistan thought it was getting strong against India and US intended to secure low-cost soldiers to protect its interests in the region.

He highlighted varying phases of Pak-US relations and lamented that Pakistan never formulated its national security, economic, social and development policies amid going through drifting phases involving ad hoc-based decision making approach.

“Pakistan should follow a policy of dialogue with caution, patience and firmness,” Zaki said adding that there was a need to explore options for coordination with Iran, China, Russia and Turkey.