ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan, most political parties and the media have expressed disappointment over the outcome of the visit of United States President George W. Bush.

While the religious parties dubbed it "a visit in pursuit the U.S. strategic goals on the war against terrorism," the mainstream Opposition parties are agitated that Mr. Bush did not have anything substantial to offer to Pakistan.

Most political commentators and editorials in the media characterised the visit as `Clinton II,' a reference to the five-hour of visit of Bill Clinton in March 2000 and his stern message over Pakistan Television (PTV) on a variety of American concerns vis-à-vis Pakistan.

Taken for a ride

An editorial in the Peshawar English daily, Statesman, titled `Pakistan taken for a ride, again' best illustrates the dominant view in the country on the outcome of the visit.

"Bush's visit to Pakistan, it seems, was not a well thought-out affair. And then may be it was! It did more harm the relations between the two nations than his not visiting Pakistan would have had. Even before the U.S. President stepped on Pakistan's soil, there was a feeling that it was the kind of visit when one is passing by so near in the neighbourhood and stops by at a poor relative's place for the sake of decorum," it read.

Democracy in Pakistan

However, the former Prime Minister and chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Benazir Bhutto, agreed with Mr. Bush's remarks on democracy in Pakistan. Mr. Bush, referring to the general elections planned for 2007, said they needed to be "open and honest."

Leaders of the Opposition and public opinion leaders said expectations of solid assurances on Kashmir, a nuclear energy package or a defence deal remained unfulfilled.

Itinerary by chance

Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim termed Mr. Bush's visit an informal one and said the U.S. president was originally scheduled to visit India to sign historic agreements. "Pakistan came on his itinerary by chance."

The basic purpose of President Bush's visit, he said, was to hunt down Al-Qaeda operatives and to urge Pakistan to expedite the arrest of Osama bin Laden. He said the U.S. President was still dissatisfied with whatever services Pakistan had rendered in its war on terrorism.

He ridiculed General Musharraf for insisting at his joint press conference with Mr. Bush that he was abiding by the Constitution while keeping the post of Army chief and said the General may not hold any of the two offices beyond 2007.

Bush's "duplicity"

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) president Qazi Hussain Ahmed said the duplicity of the U.S. President had become evident when he offered nuclear cooperation to India. In a statement issued from Lahore he said, on the one hand the U.S. was opposing Iran's peaceful nuclear programme while on the other it was offering concessions to India despite its not being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and in violation of its own laws.

He said Gen. Musharraf's request to Mr. Bush to help resolve the Kashmir issue was a mistake as the U.S. president would never play a neutral role.

Musharraf must quit

Deputy secretary-general of the MMA Liaquat Baloch said the Opposition's stance had been vindicated by Mr. Bush's visit and called upon Gen. Musharraf to step down after what he termed total failure as far as the country's foreign and defence policies were concerned.

Aitzaz Ahsan, veteran PPP leader, said Mr. Bush's visit had illustrated the urgent need for reshaping Pakistan's foreign policy by removing the extraordinary dependence on American aid and concessions and a rejection to succumb to its dictation.

In a statement from her exile in Dubai, Ms. Bhutto said that by stressing, "Democracy is Pakistan's future," Mr. Bush had reached out to the aspirations of the 150 million people of Pakistan. Moreover, he had assured them that Washington's commitment to democracy was not selective but also applied to America's allies.

She agreed with Mr. Bush "that in the long run, the way to defeat terrorism is to replace an ideology of hatred with an ideology of hope."

Since India was a democracy, with the rule of law and tolerance among political parties, it was emerging as a power in the global community.

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