Aid consortium

It is difficult to understand why Mr Zardari should wish to make the forum a permanent feature. The idea is suggestive of a permanent dependence on outside help, which is hardly something that a self-respecting nuclear power of 170 million people should relish. One would like to believe that it was a mere slip of the tongue especially as he stressed that he wanted to 'learn how to fish' rather than 'get a fish'. Pakistan would have to make the most scrupulous use of whatever assistance it receives. It should be put to most productive use and not frittered away on specious enterprises or administrative purposes. Another extremely important point, which Islamabad ought to keep in mind while accepting any foreign assistance, is that always there are strings attached. Hence we have to be careful that the conditions must, in any case, be promoting primarily our own interests.

Only if this stipulation were to be strictly followed, the support from the US and the world would prove to be a "blessing" for the country that Mr Zardari calls it. At the same time, one would expect the Americans and their allies not to try to take advantage of the difficult situation Pakistan is in; for that would serve their long-term goals. But, in any case, the onus would be on Pakistan.