On air at 11GMT: Who are Pakistan's friends?
| 07:13 UK time, Monday, 26 December 2011
Ayesha Tammy Haq will be today's WHYS 30 guest presenter
I am a corporate lawyer dabbling in the both electronic and print media with varied interests that include adventure travel. My media hat is exciting and gives me an opportunity to hear what thousands of ordinary Pakistanis have to say about whats happening in Pakistan and we'll drill down into those conversations today.
Today's show is part of a week of special programmes reflecting conversations happening in five countries that have had a tumultuous year and yes first up, it's Pakistan.
Its been another trying year for Pakistan, the war on terror has wrecked untold horror at home with over 40,000 Pakistani casualties, civilian and military. Add to that the raid on Abbottabad and the killing of OBL, and the recent NATO bombing which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and the dynamics take a serious turn.
Most Pakistanis have expressed their outrage at what they see as an infringement of their territorial sovereignty. In all this we find Pakistan looking increasingly isolated and that makes me wonder that going forward how will Pakistan interact with the rest of the world?
The Pakistani state has taken an anti American posture and this percolates down to the populace which emboldens the right wing religious parties. Few Pakistanis see this as a problem and while they like all things American they applaud what other Muslim populations, like those in North Africa, are doing. Many say we too should turn away from the West.If we do turn away where will we turn to? Will we, as a great many Pakistanis think, turn to China? But even more as the question will China be the ally we really need? Or despite the fact we haven't had our own 'Arab Spring' is this the moment for Islamic parties in Pakistan? Many young Pakistanis echo anti American and anti India rhetoric and are seen at right wing rallies including those of the new kid on the political block Imran Khan.
So what do you think Pakistan should do? You can post here or at facebook.com/worldhaveyoursay and do call during the show country code plus 44 20 70 83 72 72 and we have set up a special hashtag for this week #mywhys
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And....this is just day 1, tomorrow will be from Athens with Matthaios Tsimitakis and later in the week, we'll visit Egypt, Japan and Libya.
