'Full ties will be resumed only if democracy returns'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 21. The U.S. would resume ``full ties'' with Pakistan only if it returns to democratic rule.

In a clear message, enunciating the approach of the U.S. towards Pakistan, the U.S. Ambassador in Pakistan, Mr. William B. Milam, has said that if Pakistan makes its march successfully to the community of democracy, the U.S. and other industrial democracies would be ready to lend appropriate support in offering Pakistan better prospects in life for all.

``Dialogue yes, but full ties cannot be achieved with the comity of nations until Pakistan returns to democratic rule'', Mr. Milam said at the inaugural session of the Fifth American Studies Conference organised by the Quaid-i-Azam University here on Friday.

The Ambassador said Pakistan has no doubt taken some steps over the past year to put the economy back on the path to growth. He said if Pakistan wants to meet the challenges of the new century, it needed fundamental political and economic reforms to meet two key challenges on the path-sustainable growth and eradication of poverty. He added that the slogan of the U.S. independence movement ``no taxation without representation'' would be difficult to sustain in Pakistan. Taxpayers at all levels need to feel that their voices are heard on decisions relating to tax collection and spending.

The U.S. envoy talked at length on the question whether freedom of political participation and dissent was conducive to development. He quoted the first Asian Nobel laureate in economics, Dr. Amartya Sen, to substantiate his point. ``Political participation and dissent are essential components of development.

Democracy and dissent are not separate factors in increasing GNP or in promoting industrialisation. They are part and parcel of what enriches human life''.

He said Pakistan is not only the largest but also strategically the most influential country to suffer democratic and economic decline in the period that brought most of the world an unprecedented period of economic growth and unleashing of political freedom such as in Nigeria and Indonesia.

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Section  : International
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