Pakistan getting isolated: Fatemi

ISLAMABAD A former diplomat says the government is failing the state on diplomatic front, which he says is a crucial area of activity in the modern day world. Talking to TheNation, Tariq Fatemi, a former diplomat who is also an instructor at the National Defence University, said the country is fast losing diplomatic support among the international community, but the government is not adopting a targeted diplomatic action, which he said was need of the hour. He agreed with the suggestion that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani should have undertaken a visit to the New York and addressed the UN General Assembly session. Strong diplomacy always works to salvage nations from hostile and aggressive designs of enemies, Fatemi said. When the lid of diplomacy is lifted, war starts. We are not facing just a military aggression but a diplomatic onslaught as well in the shape of routine warnings about hosting al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists, and making effort to flush out fifth columnists at the same time. Weakness on diplomatic front can undo our military gains. The seasoned diplomat said the reported agreement or arrangement made with the US for carrying out drone strikes inside Pakistan was not made public by the Musharraf regime; nor has it seen light of the day during current civilian government.