Washington : Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who will visit Pakistan in May, says situation in that country is "challenging."
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington-based think tank, he said: "On the one hand, a civilian government may well last its full term in Pakistan, and be succeeded by other civilian governments. That is not to be sneezed at. That is a significant thing. Secondly, one of things that (former) President (Pervez) Musharraf did was to open up the media. If you want to think about flowering of civil society, opening of media, both in blogosphere and in print, is serious and good."
Miliband said one of the most chilling things he has heard in and read over last few months is the idea that United States has a choice about whether or not to sever its links with Pakistan. "Because if you think it's difficult, frustrating, innovating, dangerous dealing with Pakistan at the moment asa partner, try fulfilling your own interests in South Asia without Pakistan as a partner," he added.
"I believe it's very important that Pakistan understands what is expected of it, its responsibilities,but also has its rights respected as well. It is easy to say that in theory, but actually it's meaningful in practice. Pakistan is a country which needs international community, including its neighbours, to stand with it on security, trade, institution building," he noted.
He said US President Barack Obama was proposing a balanced strategic relationship between the US and Pakistan to replace the unbalanced - essentially military-only ties, and wanted individual leader-based relationship rather than institution-based links. "I think it's very important that you continueto engage pro-actively on civilian and military side in Pakistan, because there won't be stability in South Asia to serve our interests unless Pakistan is engaged seriously," he stressed. PPI
