The war in Afghanistan is destabilising Pakistan and seriously undermining efforts to restore its democratic institutions and economic prosperity after a decade of military dictatorship, President Asif Ali Zardari has told the Guardian newspaper. Speaking during an exclusive interview in the imposing presidential residence in Islamabad, Zardari also pointed to widespread concern in Pakistan at the slow pace of efforts to end the Afghan conflict, and said some US politicians showed limited understanding of the impact of American policies. Just as the Mexican drug war on US borders makes a difference to Texas and American society, we are talking about a war on our border which is obviously having a huge effect. Only today a suicide bomber has attacked a police compound in Balochistan. I think it [the Afghan war] has an effect on the entire region, and specially our country, Zardari said. Asked about harsh criticism of Pakistans cooperation in the 'war on terror published in a White House report last week, Zardari said Pakistan always listened to Washingtons views. But he suggested some members of Congress and the US media did not know what they were talking about when it came to Pakistan. The United States has been an ally of Pakistan for the last 60 years. We respect and appreciate their political system. So every time a new parliament comes in, new boys come in, new representatives come in, it takes them time to understand the international situation. Not Obama, but the Congress, interest groups and the media get affected by 'deadline-itis [over ending the Afghan war], Zardari said. I think it is maybe 12 years since America has become engaged in Afghanistan and obviously everybodys patience is on edge, especially the American public, which is looking for answers. There are no short-term answers and it is very difficult to make the American taxpayer understand. A US congressional panel also weighed in this week, urging the Obama administration to abandon Pakistan in favour of India. Pakistan is about to go broke or collapse, said Gary Ackerman, a New York Democrat. Zardari suggested that if that assertion were true, the interventionist policies of the US and other foreign governments in South Asia would be a significant contributory factor. Pakistan had been in a state of 'security alert for several decades, he said. Our emphasis has been on security rather than our commerce and we need commerce for our survival. We have all the gas in the world waiting to go through to markets in India and the Red Sea but it cannot be brought in until Afghanistan is settled. So Afghanistan is a growth issue for us. I think most of the time the quantification of the effect of the war is not calculated [by the US]. Prices are going up, obviously we are a high fuel-importing country, and fuel prices are going up. Because of the war situation, the industry in one of our provinces has practically closed down ... When one whole sector is not working, there is an effect on the other sectors. According to senior intelligence officials, the war on terror has cost the Pakistani economy approximately $68 billion since 2001. More than 33,300 Pakistani civilians and military personnel have been killed or seriously injured. Last years record-breaking floods added to the strain on the economy. Zardari said the security situation was also undercutting efforts to strengthen democratic institutions bypassed or overturned during the military rule of his predecessor, General Pervez Musharraf. Democracy is evolving. Its a new democracy. It takes time to bring institutions back. Destroying institutions during a decade of dictatorial regime is easy ... So there is a political impact as well as an economic impact. Zardari, who is expected to visit Washington next month, said he would ask Obama to share drone technology with Pakistan so future attacks could be planned and directed under a 'Pakistani flag. Although this request had been turned down in the past, he said he was hopeful the Americans would be more receptive this time, given the huge anger and rising anti-American feeling that the drone attacks were causing. Zardari and other senior government officials said all parties felt a sense of growing urgency about forging an inclusive peace settlement in Afghanistan, but the process must be 'Afghan-led. Pakistan was ready to play its part, consistent with its national interest, they said. Salman Bashir, Pakistans foreign secretary, said: Everybody is gradually coming round to our point of view that this requires greater diplomatic pressure. There is no military solution in Afghanistan.