Zardari's ...Aimless travels

The News PK Thursday, August 05, 2010 President Zardari’s trip West, as Karachi continues to burn up with rage and floods sweep away thousands of homes across the country, has generated a great deal of controversy. The amazement of commentators in France and Britain that he chose to continue with his trip at such a moment in his country’s history has not been disguised. This is all the more so as there appears to be little real aim for the visit. Certainly, nothing very significant has been achieved so far during it. Predictably enough, the focus has been on terror and its various dimensions. In what constitutes a snub for the president, British Prime Minister David Cameron has declined to withdraw comments that Pakistan is responsible for the export of terrorism. It seems unlikely he will alter his stance when he meets Mr Zardari. The remarks made in an interview in France that Pakistan and its allies are losing the war on terror only add further gloom to an already bleak situation at home. What is more, they contradict previous comments by Mr Zardari about gains against militants. It is not clear why he has changed his position. Also, we would expect from the head of the frontline state in the war on terror a more cogent focus on what needs to be done, rather than defeatist comments which deflate the hopes of people and of troops still engaged in fierce battles in Orakzai, Bajaur, Kurram and other areas. At home, the images of a smiling president touring Europe and visiting luxury mansions have not gone down well at all. It is doubtful if his presence at home would serve any real purpose, but in the face of such calamity people need to feel that their leaders are standing by them. This point has indeed been raised by Asian politicians and the constituents of Pakistani origin in the UK. They seem set to do so even more vociferously as Mr Zardari steps on to British soil. At the very least we need to be reassured that public money is not being spent on the trip. We hope too that the government is aware that, given the mood at home, any public ‘launching’ of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as PPP chairman at this time would be in bad taste, all the more so if fanfare is to accompany the event. Perhaps the young man himself should see this and act more wisely than his globe-trotting father by calling for the event to be cancelled.