CBS programme raises hackles in Pakistan

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 19. The CBS programme titled `Is Pakistan America's Nightmare?' has raised hackles in the Pakistani press.

A number of papers has chosen to comment editorially on the 60- minute programme telecast on the American network on Monday on the possible scenario of the nuclear weapons in Pakistan getting into the hands of fundamentalist forces.

The papers have said that more than any thing else the programme brings home the urgent need for the Pakistani foreign policy makers to wake up and correct the `negative perceptions' of the rest of the world about the country despite repeated denials and clarifications.

As the English daily, The News, put it ``such scare-splashing can be responded to by dismissing it out of hand, which is the preferred choice of the Musharraf Government, but this way the perceptions that lie behind are not dented''.

The paper has lamented that despite official denials and contradictions, more and more countries are subscribing to an `unflattering view' of Pakistan. It said correcting the negative image posed a daunting challenge to diplomats and foreign policy makers. ``They have to negate this perception methodically, meticulously and consistently. More than anything else, they have to take it seriously''.

Another daily, The Nation, in its editorial comment said the U.S. Government's decision to `deprive' Pakistan of the conventional weapons and implied approval of the `Indian regional hegemony' was responsible for driving Pakistan to go nuclear.

``What is even more ironic in this situation is the fact that it is not Pakistan that has ever been an extremist state, nor has it even flaunted its nuclear capability to browbeat or blackmail other countries. It is India that has been doing it all along,'' it said.

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