Was he? Wasn’t he?
So, the Chinese government finally clarifies that the president was due to visit Pakistan shortly, but not anymore. It’s not as if the visit has been called off altogether, but it will be a while before new dates are settled. About time the clarification came, considering how many different sides of the story the public has been treated to; not to mention the Chinese government also contradicting its embassy here.
Strangely, sad as the government seems at the postponement, it also serves as a political victory, of sorts, for the N league. The latest is that the delay is because of political uncertainty inside Pakistan, and since that uncertainty is caused by PTI and PAT dharnas¸ and since the government cried itself hoarse about just such a possibility, it will win some I-told-you-so points, even if it is at the cost of the country as a whole.
The Chinese were also visibly up to scratch with their diplomacy. They are confident that Pakistanis will solve their political problems amicably, and also went out of their way to stress the extraordinary nature of our friendship. Yet they didn’t clear the uncertainty regarding Chinese investment the N league criticises the dharnas of compromising. A number of avenues are being discussed, they said, in classical diplomatic double-speak, making sure the answer doesn’t clarify much. They also didn’t explain why sit-ins of the sort Islamabad is experiencing should affect such high-profile visits, which are usually scheduled months in advance (even if this one was still without final dates, etc). If such a precedent was set, many leaders, especially western, would have a tough time travelling anywhere. Capitals were routinely choked with protestors whenever Bush and Blair would visit other countries during the war-on-terror days. Similar protests were seen when the G-8 congregated to discuss international tariffs, etc. Granted, the protests have milked the economy in no small manner. But shouldn’t the government project a positive image of the country, its own inner political cross-currents notwithstanding? It is hoped that the N league is not playing along with such delays and cancellations to make the protestors look worse. The Chinese president’s visit is extremely important. It should be facilitated as soon as possible. And the sooner the government settles its differences with PTI/PAT the better.