And not what is popular
While hubris strengthened by the election fever stands in the way of the US to offer an apology for Salala attack, Pakistan’s political leadership which is also facing elections is not willing to settle down on anything less than an apology and end to drone attacks, if Foreign Minister Khar is to be believed. The US diplomatic staff meanwhile must assert that it does not care for Pakistani laws by letting its staffers to roam about with caches of arms and without required permission. The prevailing tension between Pakistan and the US provides a field day to terrorists. On Monday, they attacked Salala checkpost killing four troops. The earlier attack here by Nato led to a standoff between the US and Pakistan which has continued for over six months now. How Pakistan army reacts to attack by the TTP remains to be seen. Will it simply forget it as it did the butchery in North Waziristan in early May?
Not willing to be a hostage to Pakistan’s demands, the US and allies have decided to pay six times more for transport routes through Central Asian states. This has led those in Pakistan who had fixed an unrealistic $ 5,000 as the minimum fee per tanker to bring it drastically down to $2,000. The Central Asian routes are however secure while those passing through Pakistan are not. Defence of Pakistan Council cobbled together by Hafiz Saeed and allowed to hold rallies in the country has threatened not to allow the Nato trucks to pass. The Nato might therefore go for a costlier but safer route unless Islamabad reins in the DPC and takes action against Hafiz Saeed but who will bell the cat? The establishment has created another problem for itself by sentencing Shakil Afridi and now Khar wants that the issue should not be blown out of proportion.
Foreign Minister Khar has asked the US to live up to its principles of doing “what we consider to be right rather than what is more popular.” Fine, but the government and establishment at home also needs to be given similar advice. Thee has to be an end to playing to the gallery by all when issues with highly crucial implications are involved.