Pakistan in Media

Friday, May 08, 2009, Daily Times, Pakistan; Editorial

In their first round of talks, Pakistan and Afghanistan have signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington “to begin talks on a transit trade agreement which will ultimately allow India to use the Wahga-Khyber route for trade with Kabul”. The memorandum commits the two countries “to achieving a trade transit agreement by the end of the year”. The US Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Clinton, hosting the round, said: “This is a historic event. This agreement has been under discussion for 43 years without resolution”.Although India is not mentioned in the memorandum, its ghost was very much present on the occasion. Ms Clinton spelled out all the implications — a set of Western beliefs in trade as antidote to war which is not greatly appreciated in Pakistan — of what the opening up of Indo-Afghan trade through Pakistan will imply: “Nothing opens up an area to economic development better than a good road with good transit rules and an ability to transport goods and people effectively”. The DG ISI of Pakistan was among the delegation led by President Asif Ali Zardari which saw the memorandum being signed by the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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