ISI finds a head

An editorial in the Financial Times has advised the US to treat Pakistan with respect. Reports Dawn October 1 8220;The Financial Times in its editorial on Tuesday has asked the US to treat Pakistan with the respect due an ally, help it rebuild its institutions, restore economic growth and extend the rule of law8230;The current strategy is not working. Over-reliant on US air power, costly in civilian lives, and outside Pakistan8217;s control, it is alienating Pakistanis.8221; Meanwhile Chaudhry Nisar, a senior PML-N leader has said that Pakistan should deal with the US on an equal footing, The Nation September 30 quotes, 8220;instead of taking dictation from abroad , there was a need of chalking out indigenous policies which protect people8217;s rights8230;He said they would not accept any donation or aid which undermine the sovereignty of the country and linked with fulfilling undesirable conditions of IMF and war on terrorism.8221;

Great expectations?

There have been varied reactions to Zardari8217;s US visit. An editorial in The Nation September 30 says, 8220;Asif Zardari had his baptism of fire during his maiden visit to the US as head of state8230;What must have tested his mettle most were meetings with President Bush and senior members of his administration8230;On account of the deteriorating law and order situation, he carried little good news for President Bush while, because of the sad state of the economy which led to the downgrading of the country8217;s rating and fears of an imminent default, he badly needed the West8217;s support8230; While Bush noted Zardari8217;s concern about violation of Pakistan8217;s territorial sovereignty8230; It was conveyed in no uncertain terms that it was Islamabad8217;s duty as a responsible state to contain any activity hostile to the US from its tribal areas, failing which Washington would act on its own to safeguard what it considered its vital national interests. It was, however, recognised in Washington that it did not suit it if Pakistan was to turn into a failed state on account of the economic crisis it faces. The World Bank was given a nod to agree to 1.3 billion support despite its earlier refusal to help8230;. The visit thus can be described as partly successful.8221;

In an opinion piece in Dawn October 1, Cyril Almeida is less optimistic about Zardari8217;s visit to the US 8220;How did Zardari do? I8217;m still scratching my head trying to make sense of it8230;Zardari showed an unnerving tendency to ingratiate himself with American politicians. Surely not even Bush believes he has made the world a safer place. And Zardari told Palin that he is trying to emulate the Alaskan model for exploitation of oil reserves. I8217;m not even sure Palin 8212;Alaska8217;s governor for two years 8212; knew that she had set up an economic model, least of all one being followed by Pakistan8230; And, demonstrating an astonishing lack of understanding of our economic crisis, Zardari was coy about directly asking the Americans for money 8212; deferring that for a state visit, whenever that may come8230;Overall, it wasn8217;t a week for rage at Zardari8217;s performance. But I have been struck by an anxious thought: has the president lowered the bar so much that anything less than disaster is a success?8221;