On Pakistani I-day, daily hits out at government policy

Pakistan is known for its "double dealing on virtually every issue", a daily said Wednesday, criticising the government for infiltrating jihadists into Kashmir and allowing a terrorist wanted in India to deliver sermons on Eid.

Pakistan's "reliance on proxies" for projecting power in the region, especially against Afghanistan and India, has come back to haunt it in the shape of jihadi terrorism, the Daily Times said in an editorial.

The daily criticised the country's "double dealing on virtually every issue".

"We are churning out human bombs (suicide bombers) and have been complicit in US drone attacks. We shook hands with India way back in 1999 and invited (Indian) prime minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee to Pakistan on a friendship bus. Even before the euphoria of the Lahore Declaration was fully absorbed, the Kargil adventure was staged."

Pakistan is a country considered the "bedrock and breeding ground" of terrorism, branded even more dangerous than Afghanistan. After 66 years of independence, the country is still the "most insecure country" in the world, the daily said.

"We want friendship with India yet spare no chance to infiltrate jihadists into Kashmir. This double dealing has now become the hallmark of our reputation," it said.

"A man with Rs.10 million on his head and implicated in the Mumbai attacks, Hafiz Saeed, is given right in the heart of Lahore at Gaddafi stadium an open space to deliver explosive Eid sermons on jihad, focusing on Kashmir," it said.

The daily also spoke about the exchange of fire, casualties and accusations that have flared up again on the Line of Control (LoC).

In another editorial, it lamented that Pakistan celebrates the National Minority Day without providing proper treatment to the minorities.

It said homes of Christians have been burnt and Hindu girls have been converted to Islam through forced marriages with Muslims.