Now with a non-Muslim Chief Justice it can claim to be moving towards the vision of Jinnah.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=48456
No dictatorship in Pakistan, says Crocker
'US has no right to suggest democratic model for Pakistan’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is a democratic country and it is for its people and not the United States to decide the type of democracy Pakistan needs, US Ambassador Ryan C Crocker, who is leaving Islamabad to assume his new official position in Baghdad, said in a TV interview aired on Sunday.
He said, “Democracies have to be developed by the countries and the people involved. We have no model and no right to stand here and say this is what Pakistan needs. It should be the people of Pakistan and not the United States, who should decide the type of democracy for Pakistan.” Crocker said: “The president is an Army officer but there is no dictatorship in Pakistan.”
On Pak-US cooperation in the war against terrorism, the US envoy said the Americans needed to understand better Pakistan’s efforts in this regard. “Pakistanis understand the long-term impact of 9/11 incident and the country has paid in the life of its soldiers and law-enforcing personnel. Americans need to understand a little bit better the major efforts by Pakistan against this very difficult problem.”
Crocker said Pak-US relationship was getting much broader and deeper as compared to the past. “What we are doing now is something much broader and deeper and more enduring. We are allies in the war on terror,” he said.
Crocker said the two governments worked hard over the last several years to build a multi-faceted relationship that concentrated on Pakistan’s economic and social development.
The ambassador said, “We developed a keen understanding on government-to-government level and have to keep working on broadening the people-to-people understanding. There is a need to understand perceptions, realities and complexities.”
On the recent bill approved by the US Senate whereby the US president has to certify that Pakistan was making every effort as an ally in the war on terror, Crocker said, “The administration opposed the language in the House Bill.” He added, “Pakistan is an ally and has demonstrated that steadfastness and we do not think that there should be any provision for certification.” Crocker said: “The Senate bill is non-binding. It does not require Pakistan to do anything.”
The ambassador rejected the impression that the American vice-president Dick Chenney had come to Pakistan last month to deliver a tough message from the US president. “The vice-president came here to consult with the leadership of Pakistan, what should be the best way forward for Pakistan, Afghanistan and for the US,” he said.
Referring to Pak-US trade ties, the ambassador said it a ‘robust relationship’. The United States is Pakistan’s largest customer and will continue to be the largest investor. “We, clearly, have interest in building these trade relations further. Our focus is on bilateral investment treaty, which is an investment chapter of Free Trade Agreement,” he said.
On the situation in Afghanistan, Crocker said, “Pakistan and Afghanistan have essentially common goals for their countries and their people, and face a common adversary. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nato forces are facing now the upsurge of Taliban,” he said adding: “The problem could be tackled with the US assistance. We just have to show resolve and cooperation among us and we are demonstrating it. Taliban is not going to win unless we give up and let them win.”
About the assistance being extended by the United States for Pakistan’s tribal areas, Crocker said it aimed at supporting Pakistan government’s efforts to develop the tribal areas. He said the United States was making a commitment of $750 million over a five year period, with $150 million this year for a sustainable development programme for the tribal areas.
Ambassador Crocker said: “He never encountered anti-Americanism at any level during his two and a half year stay in Pakistan. This speaks a great deal about the hospitality and generosity of Pakistanis.” He said: “I really enjoyed my time here.
It is a country that is important to US interests. It is a great nation, and Pakistanis are tremendously hospitable from very top to the street level.”