The BBC reports that there have been two major explosions in Karachi near the US Consulate, killing at least two people, and injuring dozens others. This comes a few days ahead of US President George Bush's impending visit to Pakistan, as part of a South Asian tour, which included Afghanistan and India.
Mr Bush is not scheduled to visit Karachi, yet the attacks are surely cause for concern. Various factions co-exist uneasily in Pakistan, from military loyalists to the Taliban, to forward-thinking political groups yearning for a free state. Pakistan holds the alleged killer of Daniel Pearl, Omar Sheikh, in its' prisons and has run various takedown operations against members of the IIF (Islamic International Front), while tolerating the machinations of other members like the Lashkar-e-Toiba from Muridke.
Despite security concerns, the economic potential and growth rates of Pakistan have rarely been as promising as currently indicated by statistical, economic and social indicators. The large volumes of aid that have flowed into the country in recent years have had some positive benefits, despite the traditional siphoning off of funds, common to countries striving to fill gaps.
Pakistan exhibits to a fuller degree problems endemic to developing countries that have not realized their full potential or find limited opportunities to do so. Challenges like corruption, crime (terrorism) and an alienated populace turning to other authoritarian structurea separate from the state are all efforts at filling governance, economic or social gaps.
China and India have enabled a faster realization of their potential, despite grappling with many of the same issues in varying scales, primarily because of a cross-section of the populace enabling this transformation through an open society. Pakistan has lacked the mechanisms to leverage its resources - intellectual, material and geopolitical. Actually, it has applied it's geopolitical situation quite adeptly, although it needed a 'sugar daddy' and a bipolar global condition to realize the same.
Article comments
1 - Hassan Naqvi
I dont understand President Bush is visiting Pakistan in the first place. I mean, is their any point in visiting Pakistan.
2 - Nancy
I hope someone manages to hit him with rotten veggies, at the least, while he's there. A pity they won't keep him.
3 - Aamir Ali
To Hassan Naqvi : I guess you only want Bush to go places where he can make some money.
The bomb blasts are a blatant attempt to sabotage Mr Bush's visit. We have a very vocal and violent minority in pakistan that has been active for a long time. They have also failed to make a major impact on the country and will continue to fail. Please keep that in mind.
4 - Jim Brown
Dear America
I know as Americans it's hard for us to admit that we elected a fool for a President, but the facts support this. "Wrong-way George" is the worst thing that ever happened to this country. He lies to us as a matter of general practice. His agenda's however hidden as some may be do not seem to have the best interests of our Beautiful America in mind. And as this seems to be the age of the truly unworthy and unscrupulous politician his administration seems to be the worst imaginable. On the matter of selling off American assets, will we be singing the "Star Spangled Banner" in a foreign language before we realize what fools we've been. National Security is no longer a reality but a catch-phrase. Three more years?, God help us.
sincerely
Jim Brown
5 - Dave Nalle
Hey Jimbo. Maybe you could enlighten us as to what 'assets' Bush has sold off.
Don't worry, I won't hold my breath waiting for you to come up with an answer. I know it can take a while to get a response back from your programmers at moveon.org.
Dave