Pak has more internal threats than threats from India: Siddiqa

Karachi, Aug 13 (ANI): Refuting the idea that countries were "after Pakistan" in order to destroy it, a well known political and defence analyst has said that Pakistan had more internal threats than external.

Speaking at the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, an author of two books on defence decision-making and political economy of the Pakistan military, advanced the idea that even though the relationship between India and Pakistan is not ideal, Pakistan, however, did not have much of a threat from its eastern neighbour.

"We have some problems with India, but it seems that they have become ideological problems now. We do not have to idolize them or be patronized by them, but we can have a normal relationship. After all, we are neighbours. Neither country can afford to carry this animosity eternally," she said.

Dr Siddiqa told students that they should understand various factors clearly before defining "today's Pakistan".

"We are mired with problems. We have created some of them, some by others; but we have to solve them and we have to solve them in time before they become chronic. We have potential, but so do Somalia, Sudan and Rwanda," The News quoted her, as saying.

She said that the ideal situation would come when "we try and use our potential in an appropriate manner. We have sparks in our nation as it was proved during the 2005 earthquake in NWFP and Northern Areas. The spark, however, is momentary. The usual behaviour is that of despondence and self-centeredness."he Pakistani nation is the victim of conspiracy theories. Instead of reasoning and analyzing facts, people accuse everybody else for their own misfortunes, Dr Siddiqa said.

"We have yet to formulate a political system that could effectively close the avenue of military intervention. The people, however, become tired of democratically-elected governments and start yearning for military rule. This is unfortunate," she said. (ANI)