The arrest of Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, a dedicated and indefatigable Kashmiri activist who was living peacefully in the US, on what appears to be a trumped up charge of being on the payroll of the ISI and doling out money to certain politicians while lobbying for the Kashmiri cause should be condemned strongly. Ironically it was the US government itself that had in the past given him various prestigious awards. His arrest has created discontentment among the Kashmiris and a call for protest demonstration scheduled for Saturday has been given. There is no denying Syed Ali Geelanis contention that this is a joint Indo-US move against them. The incident makes a mockery of the USs claim of being our ally. Indeed this is an attempt to woo the Indians, who are loathe to seeing any powerful and resourceful individual take up cudgels on behalf of the Kahmiris. Such below the belt tactics are also enough to show that the US intends to work against our national interests and especially in the context of the South Asian quagmire created as a result of its military adventure in Afghanistan, it is bent upon making India its regional policeman and even egging it on to cow Pakistan into submission. However, it is time for us to discern friends from our enemies. Given the manner of Dr Fais arrest and charges levelled against Pakistans government, we should reflect on our slavish behaviour of accommodating US spies, even though they have caused considerable damage to our national security. Former DG ISI General Hameed Guls words also deserve attention. He asserted that Dr Fais arrest could be a bargaining chip to pressurise Pakistan to release Dr Shakeel. A man of impeccable character, Dr Fai had been working for the cause of the Kashmiris in a peaceful way. Certainly he did not commit a crime by raising the voice of the hapless Kashmiris. His arrest is a slap in the face of democracy and the so-called freedom of expression in the US.