Peter Preston’ in his article “Pakistan is the real victim of Bush’s 9/11 folly” analyses correctly as to how Pakistan has suffered due to the wrongdoing of Americans, west and, of course, opportunist and short-sighted leaders of Pakistan.

The article which published in The Guardian on 9 October is an eye-opener for the policymakers of both countries. There is a need to understand Pakistan’s compulsions and the leadership crises. It’s very unfortunate that the champion of democracy prefers to deal with dictators, instead of parliament as it happened after 9/11.

It’s amazing that the only 19 percent see the real threat from archrival India and as per Pew Research Centre poll, 70 percent saw US as more of an enemy than a saviour. As the writer says, that in spite of all problems and shortcomings, “Yet the message of public opinion, in its bewilderment, cannot be ignored”.

If India and China can progress well, Pakistan could have also performed well, but in those 10 dreadful years Pakistan plunged into crises after crises. The most important factor which he also mentioned is the flux of more than two million Afghan refugees.

They are living here since the last 40 years, and are not only a burden on our fragile economy but some are natural sympathisers of extremists. Peter writes, “For three decades of Afghan tumult, Pakistan has been blown hither and yon by outside imbecilities. And 10 full years after 9/11, it is the heaviest casualty of them all”. Pakistan is the major sufferer in the last ten years but instead of appreciating it, a blame game is in full swing for the false satisfaction of Americans.

I fail to understand as to why the US is not concerned about public opinion of Pakistani people? Why in their eyes Pakistan is an enemy and not an ally? Why do they want to make Pakistan an scapegoat?

I think the US should start listening to the people’s voice. The barrel of a gun is not the solution of every problem. Killing the poor and innocent people, on the pretext of saving the Americans, is not well received and it’s time to reflect and correct the wrongdoing of the past.

Most Pakistanis feel that their leaders made a wrong choice by rushing to America after independence. The US has to prove through deeds that it is our well-wisher and not an enemy.

SHAHID ZAHUR

Rawalpindi