Monday, August 21 2006 12:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Pakistan may be eyed as 'the breeding ground for terrorists' and its reliability as an ally in the US war on Islamic extremism questioned, but two former officials would still like to 'keep Pakistan on our side'.

"In the wake of the foiled terror plot in London involving British Muslims with Pakistani connections, all eyes are again on Pakistan as the breeding ground for terrorists," Richard L. Armitage, and Kara L. Bue said in an Op-Ed article in the New York Times Sunday.

While the arrests may serve as proof to some that the country cannot be relied on as an ally in our fight against Islamic extremism, we would argue that the recent events should harden our resolve to support it, said the two officials who now work as international business consultants.

Pakistan must increase efforts toward a lasting peace with India and eliminate the home-grown jihadists who threaten that peace, acknowledged Armitage, deputy secretary of state from 2001 to 2005, and Bue, deputy assistant secretary of state from 2003 to 2005,

And, given the exposure of the arms bazaar run by its top nuclear scientist, A.Q. Khan, it must prove itself a reliable partner on technology transfer and nuclear non-proliferation, they said.

Much also remains to be accomplished, particularly in terms of democratisation, the two said. However, Americans must applaud the counter-terrorism steps that have been made so far, which have been taken at great personal risk to General Musharraf, who has faced several assassination attempts.

As Pakistan has pursued change, so too has the United States in its policy toward the country, Armitage and Bue noted.

"In the past, our consideration of Pakistan was tied to that of India, and vice versa. We talked of 'India-Pakistan' as a sort of two-headed entity. To its credit, the Bush administration has managed to de-hyphenate the relationship. We now attempt to deal with each country on its own terms, for our own reasons."

Armitage and Bue saw a slide in US efforts with Pakistan. "There appears to be far less immediacy than warranted. We are not overlooking the tremendous economic and military support the United States has provided, including the decision this summer to sell 36 F-16 fighter aircraft to its air force.

"Our concerns rest with what we see as growing frustration over the pace and difficulties of reforms. It is critical that Pakistan not be short changed in our engagement in the region," they said.

While India is clearly important to US for its strategic and economic promise, the success of Pakistan holds the key to stability in the region and perhaps throughout the Muslim world.

Were Pakistan to fail, there would be no hope for Afghanistan, a dimmed future for India and an increased threat of Islamist terrorism globally, Armitage and Bue concluded.

Making a case for supporting Pakistan, they said, it has worked closely with the United States, sharing intelligence and capturing and handing over many terrorists, including top Al Qaeda leaders.

It has sent more than 70,000 troops to the Afghan border and conducted successful operations to flush out foreign fighters. Hundreds of Pakistani troops have been killed in these efforts, and thousands injured.

Perhaps more important, General Musharraf has shown that he understands the seriousness of dealing with the root causes of extremism, making real efforts to improve economic and educational opportunities.

He solved the country's crippling debt crisis and loosened regulations on businesses, paving the way for an economic growth rate rivalling India's.

With mixed success, he has worked to free the judiciary from religious control and to loosen the grip of Islamic extremists on madrassas, the prevalent religious academies, the two former officials said.