Only a few days back, Iran and Pakistan had signed the agreement for a gas pipeline project to supply natural gas from Teheran to Islamabad. The estimated cost of project was $7.6 billion. The accord between the two brotherly Muslim countries had caused not-so-unexpected a stir in US and other western countries and the US Special Envoy for AfPak Richard Holbrooke had even cautioned Pakistan against going ahead with the pipeline because it could fall within the ambit of latest round of sanctions against Iran. But the British Foreign Secretary William Hague in his press conference in Islamabad has described the project as Pakistans internal matter, effectively refusing to endorse the US point of view in this regard. The sharp difference between the US and British positions underscores a recent policy shift in London towards positive as compared to Washington. US diplomats often describe Pakistan as 'a major non-NATO ally. Britain says Pakistan is an 'old strategic friend. Apparently, London is much wiser than Washington in this regard even though countries may or may not be have the same common objectives viz-a-viz India and Pakistan. Just a couple of months back, the US had declined a request from Islamabad for entering into a civil nuclear technology accord with Pakistan like the one it has had with India. The US refusal was probably based in response to pressure from India which cites Pakistans poor track record in nuclear technology proliferation as a cause for reservations. Islamabad has punished the nuclear scientist long since his indiscretion was made public and his network has also been smashed. But New Delhi continues to exploit the issue and Washington falls for it every time. London, though, has not yet succumbed to the pressure from India in this regard. Pakistan needs to distance itself from US and seek greater cooperation with Britain. We have paid a very heavy price for being an ally of the US but it has clear leanings towards India. We have had nothing from the relationship. The assistance we have received so far is peanuts compared to the price we have paid in terms of our national security, integrity and sovereignty. -ZAHID KALIM, Lahore, June 24.