Afsheen Irani,19,who made President Barack Obama to finally speak on US-Pakistan ties,had decided on her question only when she was about to enter the St Xaviers campus Sunday morning. Till then,she planned to ask about either Indian industrialists entering American markets or increased vigilance in the foreign student intake at American universities,if she got a chance. Obamas apparent choice to shy away from making any comments about Pakistan prompted the second-year Management Studies student from HR College to change her question. Obama paid homage to 26/11 victims,spoke to survivors,spoke about terrorism but avoided even the slightest mention of Pakistan. I have always been curious about why Pakistan is such a strategic ally of the US and why it is not declaring Pakistan as a terrorist state despite the internal and external violence it perpetrated, said Afsheen. Afsheen said though there were strict procedures to shortlist students for the interaction,questions were not censored. I am glad we were given complete freedom to frame our questions. No one interfered in the content. She had a little disappointment,though. He handled the question very diplomatically; without saying nothing more than we already know. I do understand the impact his words can have,and his attempt to stay away from controversy is justified.
