Good essay. Is it Islam or our media is racist? Why they hue and cry over American visitors but jump with joy over Arab interfering in our internal affairs. Is that why FATA is in such a huge mess? That we allow Al Qaida an Arab organization to kill our citizens in the 1000s while we talk about sovereignty when the drones chase the same Alqaida?
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A double standard
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Cyril Almeida
Friday, 16 Jan, 2009 | 10:46 AM PST |
WHEN the Americans or the British do it, it is interference; when the Arabs do it, it is friendly intervention. Get involved in domestic politics, that is.
As political instability stalks this unfortunate land once again, every prince, sheikh and Arab tycoon who fancies himself to be a political dilettante is racking up frequent-flier miles, working the phones or receiving as his guest one or the other Pakistani politician hoping the chips will fall in his favour. No effort is made to hide the double standard.
If a president or prime minister or an army chief meets a US assistant secretary or ambassador or a UK foreign secretary or high commissioner, someone, somewhere pipes up with a snarky remark about ‘protocol’ and ‘dignity’.
Yet, if a Saudi intelligence chief huddles with our leaders — as happened this week when Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud met President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, among others — the coverage is largely positive.
The wise Saudi king is counselling our errant young bucks through his brother and everyone should be grateful, at least if the media is to be believed. And what was the message that the prince brought? Well, he had advice on everything from Pak-India relations to the situation in Fata to the economy to political instability in Islamabad and Punjab.
Anne Patterson must be sulking somewhere; what she wouldn’t give for the US ambassador to get a slice of the goodwill extended towards the likes of Prince Muqrin.