Off to Arabia

On Thursday, The News reported that Zardari and Sharif will visit Saudi Arabia to seek economic assistance, including supply of oil on deferred payment. On Friday, the newspaper had an editorial on the subject: “It is also true the Saudis have bailed Pakistan out before. In 1998, an oil facility similar to the one likely to be sought now helped the country survive crushing sanctions imposed by the international community after it tested nuclear weapons in the hills of Balochistan. Today too, the Saudis have remained closely engaged in Pakistan — indeed at times apparently making an effort to micro — manage the country’s affairs. The return late in 2007 of the Sharifs and an offer made at the end of the same year to the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to visit Makkah as a means to ease the stand-off between him and the Musharraf regime are just some examples of such intervention.”

Lahore again

On Tuesday two terrorist strikes in Lahore — one at the Federal Investigation Agency building and another in the residential Model Town — left more than 30 persons dead. From the Daily Times editorial the next morning: “The war is between Al Qaeda and its Taliban allies on the one hand and the state of Pakistan on the other. Under the new army chief Pakistan has been able to counteract the inroads made in many parts of Pakistan by the soldiers of the terrorist organisation. But unfortunately the army is increasingly worried about the lack of sufficient support from the public at large so that it can face up to the terrorists. Political activism in Pakistan is focused on the restoration of the judiciary and the ouster of President Pervez Musharraf. What the politicians and the media are ignoring at great risk is the country’s response to the takeover of its territories and the virtual free run of the country that the suicide bombers have today.”

... contd.