Why Joe Biden is so concerned about Pakistan?

AMERICANS are in the habit of making statementss of purely internal affairs of Pakistan and that is one of the reasons there are so many misunderstanding about their intentions and plans about the country. Most of such remarks often fall within the definition of derogatory statements and create resentment among people of Pakistan. One such example is the latest comment of the US Vice President who claimed that the situation in Pakistan worried him more than that of Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.




The US leader has cited three reasons for his unnecessary worry about Pakistan. It has nuclear weapons that are able to be deployed, it has a real significant minority of radicalized population and it is not a completely functional democracy in the sense we think about it. The statement is part of the unrelenting propaganda campaign unleashed by the US-led West to put Pakistan under constant pressure with a view to squeezing undue concessions from the country. Otherwise, Pakistan's nuclear assets are more safe than those of the United States and this fact has repeatedly been acknowledged by various Western leaders as well. As for the radicals, they are not significant as described by Joe Biden and the small number of misguided people are being taken care by the Government, the armed forces and the law enforcing agencies. Hundred per cent security is even beyond the capability of the United States that has immense resources and latest technology, gadgets and weapons at its disposal. His remarks about democracy might be somewhat relevant but again it is a matter for people of Pakistan and Joe Biden need not be concerned about that. Otherwise too, one may remind him that his country has all along been encouraging extra-democratic forces and even Kerry-Lugar Bill, which was initially co-sponsored by Mr Biden, also has references that expose American love for democracy in Pakistan. Anyhow, leaving aside Joe Biden's highly prejudiced remarks, one may say that these and similar other statements reflect the overall image of Pakistan in the United States and for that matter in the rest of the world. The fact remains that not to speak of good governance there is no semblance of effective governance in the country and there is a total chaos everywhere. There is no one to put a halt to mind-boggling corruption, murder of merit and fair play, artificial price-hike, exploitation of the poor, brutalization of the society, polarization, growing mistrust among provinces and deteriorating security conditions. These things contrast sharply to the potential of a country of 170 million and the only nuclear power of the Muslim world. We hope that the Government and the Opposition would ponder over these issues and join hands to improve image and standing of the country in the comity of nations.