This Article is From May 01, 2009

Obama's view on Pak personal, says Gilani

Obama's view on Pak personal, says Gilani

AP image

Islamabad: The Pakistan government is livid with US President Obama, and on Friday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani put it on record. But America is sticking to its position that Pakistan's obsession with India is misguided.

"This is President Obama's personal opinion that the civil government in Pakistan might not stay. All institutions of the government are strong, functioning well and working within their limits," Gilani said in Multan.

The angry Pakistan PM was reacting to Barack Obama's description of Pakistan's civilian government as very fragile and not in control.

Marking a 100 days of his government, Obama had again raised America's serious concerns over the situation in Pakistan, especially in NWFP along the Pakistan Afghanistan border.

"On the military side you've started to see some recognition, just in the last few days, that the obsession with India as the mortal threat to Pakistan has been misguided. Their biggest threat right now comes internally and you're starting to see the Pakistani military take much more seriously the armed threat from militant extremists," Obama had said.

In fact a Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington has also asked that Pakistan be made accountable for the hundreds of millions of dollars being sent there to help this fight.

Instead, Senators said they believed Pakistan is taking American money and using it to beef up defences against India.

"My belief is that they've been taking at least some of our money, maybe most or all of our money, and actually moving it over to the eastern side of their country, using it to beef up their defences, et cetera, against India," said Senator Mark Pryor.

As the American government steps up the pressure, all eyes are now on Sufi Mohammad -- the Pakistani Taliban commander to see whether he will now walk out of the peace deal he signed   with the Pakistani government?
.