AS acute discontent over the Kerry-Lugar Act continues unabated in the country despite the explanatory statement that was appended to it, and the opposition circles and political analysts keep warning the government that the statement is mere eyewash, which would have little legal relevance, high-ranking American political and military figures are descending on Islamabad to do their bit to calm down the widespread concern. Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senator John Kerry, who is also a co-author of the document that has sparked public outrage here for its vicious designs on Pakistan's sovereignty, is already here and was due to be followed by Special Envoy Holbrooke. Senator Kerry has started holding meetings with top government functionaries (President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani and Foreign Minister Qureshi) and opposition politicians, including Mian Nawaz Sharif, leader of PML-N, the second largest party in Parliament, and heads of other political parties. Obviously, he intends arguing in support of the American logic about the importance of the explanatory statement. One might as well ask the Senator what justification there was for inserting the degrading conditionalities in the first instance if they were subsequently to be 'negated' by an additional document, which the Americans now unconvincingly plead the statement has done. The opposition parties must put up a joint stand and unequivocally oppose these clauses. It is totally misleading to say that since the KLB has now become law it cannot be amended under any circumstances; it could be amended by the Congress within days to meet Pakistan's concerns should the administration so desire. And that is what the opposition should be insisting upon. Can the Pakistani electorate also hope that the government, which represents them, would act in line with democratic traditions, respect their sentiments and tell their American interlocutors to bring in the necessary changes that have legal validity? Apart from Senator Kerry and Mr Holbrooke, head of CENTCOM General Petraeus and ISAF top commander General McChrystal have already arrived in the federal capital. The generals would be adding their voice to the words of encouragement and, indeed, pressure of Admiral Mullen, Chief of Joint Staff of Staff, who telephoned COAS General Kayani on Sunday to discuss the army action in Waziristan. But as their agendas would definitely include an appreciative appraisal of the Kerry-Lugar Act, it is hoped that our leadership would not be taken in by their explanations and would put across their point of view forcefully.