In the last few months, there is a shift in Pakistan’s perception of India. A number of articles have appeared in the English media asking for ‘realism’ in Pakistan’s approach towards India. No doubt the post-September 11 events and the changed geo-political realities have been the main force behind such a change in perception.

Mir Jamilur Rahman wrote in The News (Coping with the enemy, 1 February 2003) that it would do Pakistan “good to move away from India-specific foreign policy. This policy restricts our choices by presupposing that whoever is a friend of India cannot be a friend of Pakistan. If we continue to follow this policy we will be left friendless and thrown into isolation…Saddam Hussein is in our bad books not because he is a ruthless dictator, has invaded Iran and then Kuwait, but because he has never supported us on Kashmir, which makes him a friend of India. If we continued applying this measure to quantify friendship, then our friendship with China may also be in jeopardy.â€Â