Hillary's brush with reality

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's interaction with a cross section of Pakistani society must have made her realise why there is growing criticism in Pakistan of the US approach towards the country and some of Washington's policies. For three days she worked overtime to meet government and opposition leaders, parliamentarians, newspaper editors, TV anchors, representatives of business community, students, women and tribal elders.
Her visit was thus altogether different from visits by top members of the Bush administration. A major reason is, that there is an elected government in place which unlike Musharraf, who considered himself responsible to none, can ill afford to ignore public sentiment. What is more, unlike his hubris-ridden predecessor, President Obama attaches importance to reaching out to the people.
Secretary Clinton faced tough questions. She was asked at a student gathering in Lahore why the US supported dictators and why it failed to fulfil pledges made in the past. Questions were asked about the drone attacks. A questioner asked whether or not such attacks constitute extra judicial killings. She was told that some of the conditions contained in the Kerry-Lugar Law impinged on national sovereignty.
Explaining the difficulties faced in getting a bill for civilian assistance through Congress, she told questioners that under American system it was easier to justify military aid but difficult to explain why billions of dollars were being given for schools or for developing infrastructure at the expense of similar projects inside the US. Conditions on aid had to be imposed to convince the legislators that the assistance is being provided in pursuit of American ideals and values. During a live broadcast a questioner criticised Washington's fight against the terrorists saying it was not Pakistan's war while the country was being made to suffer for it. "You had one 9/11. We are having daily 9/11s in Pakistan", she said. Others wanted the US to mediate with India to resolve the Kashmir dispute.
Clinton maintained that the US wanted the dispute to be settled but did not want to pressure either India or Pakistan. Many in Pakistan who remember President Obama's campaign remark about the US using its clout to settle the dispute are not likely to be satisfied with Clinton's observation. She conceded points, declined to answer a question or two and was occasionally frank to the extent of being less than diplomatic. At times it was no happy talk. She parried questions on drone attacks but readily agreed that it was a mistake on Washington's part to support dictators in Pakistan. She assured that Obama administration was determined to maintain relations with the people and elected parliamentarians rather than individuals.
She expressed views without mincing words. To a query regarding the possibility of the US writing off Pakistan's debts, she said if this was ever done this would entail conditions. She told a gathering of businessmen that the tax-GDP ratio was extremely low in Pakistan and that the community should pay more taxes. She was candid to admit that trust deficit existed on both sides between Pakistan and US. She said she found it hard to believe that Pakistani officials don't know where the leaders of terrorist groups are hiding. She agreed that private security guards must abide by the country's laws.
While she pledged Washington's support for democracy, she pressed the government to take action beyond South Waziristan, which to some would be a repetition of the "do more" policy. She said the US wanted relations with the people of Pakistan and that these had to encompass trade, education, energy and other sectors rather than be confined to military co-operation. She wanted exchange of media personnel and enhanced contacts between business communities on both sides. Many would concede this is positive thinking provided it gets translated into solid action.
The outburst of resentment in Pakistan against the conditions of Kerry-Lugar Law should make Washington realise that Pakistanis are highly sensitive when it comes to the preservation of national sovereignty. As Secretary Clinton observed relationship has to be based on mutual respect and mutually shared responsibilities. The ruling elite in Pakistan has to recognise that in order to preserve sovereignty the country has to come out of dependence on foreign assistance and loans. For this the governments have to learn to live within their means.
They need to cut non-productive expenses and improve the collection of taxes. It is a matter of concern that certain politically powerful sections of society remain outside the tax net, farmers being the foremost but by no means the only exception. The government needs to ensure that everyone with taxable income pays what he owes to the state.