O.K Washington doubles Pakistan’s aid and Zardari is assured full support for his government. O.K Washington is doing everything possible to help Islamabad where according to Obama the government is fragile. While there, Zardari has said all the right things.
So, what is next?
Will the hunger and poverty, joblessness, and other economic problems in Pakistan go away now that Zardari’s visit to Washington has been a success? Will the threat of terrorism, the growing chorus of autonomy in Baluchistan evaporate? In short, would this trip end Pakistan’s miseries and put the country on a path to becoming a country that is an ideal for rest of the world?
Of course not.
We have seen this drill before. Someone from Islamabad goes to DC, gets aid, meets and greets officials, media covers it and after a while, everything is back to where it all started. The fact is, unless people of Pakistan come together, understand that they have a problem, and agree to tackle these challenges without pointing fingers towards rest of the world.
There is no other way out, except for taking on the colossal challenges.
It is also wise to not get wild and carried away by the minor successes, be it the success of the army against the Taliban, or by the warm welcome in Washington. What is needed is a sustained effort for a very long time to beat back the doom and gloom that has put a very dark and almost permanent spell over Pakistan.
Yes, the situation in Pakistan is bad, but it is not good anywhere else in the world either, these are tough times. The entire world is experiencing the worst recession that economists suggests has hit the markets in decades. Therefore, Pakistan is no exception and the country will only move forward when the government and the masses would agree to work hard, sacrifice a little and not temporary political gains distract them. Otherwise, quite latterly, everything is at stake in Pakistan.
