Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent | November 04, 2008
THE US's preoccupation with Pakistan was strongly underlined last night as General David Petraeus, newly responsible for Washington's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, made Islamabad his first port of call, and Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama signalled a change of policy if he wins tomorrow's election.
The security deterioration in the nuclear-armed nation was dramatically demonstrated shortly after General Petraeus's arrival, when jihadi militants staged a rocket attack on the airport in the city of Peshawar, capital of the al-Qa'ida and Taliban stronghold of North-West Frontier Province, which he was scheduled to visit yesterday.
Pakistani television networks said there were no casualties. But the audacity of the attack -- with rockets reportedly landing near a runway used by civilian aircraft -- will not have been lost on General Petraeus as he held discussions over the crisis with top military commanders and civilian government officials in Islamabad.
The US general's trip comes amid frustration in Islamabad over a surge in US missile strikes on alleged militant targets on its soil. But General Petraeus was said to have given no ground to his critics yesterday, insisting the cross-border attacks were achieving results, and he was even tipped to push for permission to use greater force in the regions.
No doubt adding to the general's concerns were fresh signs of the country's political and economic instability as tens of thousands of anti-government lawyers and journalists took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of former president Pervez Musharraf's illegal declaration of a state of emergency last year, during which he sacked the country's chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry.
The democratic movement that grew from that, and is credited with bringing about the restoration of civilian rule, now bitterly opposes the new Government headed by President Asif Ali Zardari because of his refusal to reinstate the chief justice.
Mr Zardari is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia later today to seek funds from King Abdullah in a desperate attempt to save the virtually bankrupt country from having to submit to the terms of a loan from the IMF.
It is understood the Pakistani leader hopes the trip will line up support from the Friends of Pakistan group, of which Australia is a member and which the Government views as an alternative bail-out source to the IMF.
But a spokesman for Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said yesterday that the recently convened group had not considered providing financial aid to Pakistan.
"At its inaugural meeting on September 26, the Friends of Pakistan group agreed to enhance co-operation with Pakistan in five areas including stability, development, border security, energy and institution building. No consideration was given to a financial rescue package," the ministerial spokesman said. "We encourage Pakistan to continue discussions with the IMF."
Before leaving Islamabad, however, Mr Zardari was due to swear in 41 new cabinet ministers and ministers of state in a massive expansion of the Government that will more than double its size, despite the parlous state of the nation's finances.
As General Petraeus continued talks last night, reports from the US suggested presidential frontrunner Senator Obama was planning a significant change to US policy on South Asia should he win tomorrow's election.
In one of his final interviews before the vote, Senator Obama suggested there should be links between solving the conflict in Afghanistan and the long-standing dispute between Pakistan and India over Kashmir.
While the Bush administration has maintained a hands-off approach towards the Kashmir dispute, Senator Obama suggested his administration would be more closely involved in trying to resolve the conflict.
THE US's preoccupation with Pakistan was strongly underlined last night as General David Petraeus, newly responsible for Washington's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, made Islamabad his first port of call, and Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama signalled a change of policy if he wins tomorrow's election.
The security deterioration in the nuclear-armed nation was dramatically demonstrated shortly after General Petraeus's arrival, when jihadi militants staged a rocket attack on the airport in the city of Peshawar, capital of the al-Qa'ida and Taliban stronghold of North-West Frontier Province, which he was scheduled to visit yesterday.
Pakistani television networks said there were no casualties. But the audacity of the attack -- with rockets reportedly landing near a runway used by civilian aircraft -- will not have been lost on General Petraeus as he held discussions over the crisis with top military commanders and civilian government officials in Islamabad.
The US general's trip comes amid frustration in Islamabad over a surge in US missile strikes on alleged militant targets on its soil. But General Petraeus was said to have given no ground to his critics yesterday, insisting the cross-border attacks were achieving results, and he was even tipped to push for permission to use greater force in the regions.
No doubt adding to the general's concerns were fresh signs of the country's political and economic instability as tens of thousands of anti-government lawyers and journalists took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of former president Pervez Musharraf's illegal declaration of a state of emergency last year, during which he sacked the country's chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry.
The democratic movement that grew from that, and is credited with bringing about the restoration of civilian rule, now bitterly opposes the new Government headed by President Asif Ali Zardari because of his refusal to reinstate the chief justice.
Mr Zardari is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia later today to seek funds from King Abdullah in a desperate attempt to save the virtually bankrupt country from having to submit to the terms of a loan from the IMF.
It is understood the Pakistani leader hopes the trip will line up support from the Friends of Pakistan group, of which Australia is a member and which the Government views as an alternative bail-out source to the IMF.
But a spokesman for Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said yesterday that the recently convened group had not considered providing financial aid to Pakistan.
"At its inaugural meeting on September 26, the Friends of Pakistan group agreed to enhance co-operation with Pakistan in five areas including stability, development, border security, energy and institution building. No consideration was given to a financial rescue package," the ministerial spokesman said. "We encourage Pakistan to continue discussions with the IMF."
Before leaving Islamabad, however, Mr Zardari was due to swear in 41 new cabinet ministers and ministers of state in a massive expansion of the Government that will more than double its size, despite the parlous state of the nation's finances.
As General Petraeus continued talks last night, reports from the US suggested presidential frontrunner Senator Obama was planning a significant change to US policy on South Asia should he win tomorrow's election.
In one of his final interviews before the vote, Senator Obama suggested there should be links between solving the conflict in Afghanistan and the long-standing dispute between Pakistan and India over Kashmir.
While the Bush administration has maintained a hands-off approach towards the Kashmir dispute, Senator Obama suggested his administration would be more closely involved in trying to resolve the conflict.
Source: The Australian
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