I laugh, but so does the world

Just as I laugh at President Karzai’s statement issuing a "last warning" to the US, the world laughs at Pakistan.

Imagine this scenario: Around a dozen bodies of children wrapped in sheets of blood cradled by helpless parents, and in some cases just lying in a pool of their parents’ blood.

On Saturday, you didn’t have to imagine.

US-led Nato forces killed 14 Afghan civilians including up to 12 children. President Hamid Karzai was quick in issuing a “last warning” to the US military telling it to avoid operations that kill civilians while commander of the Nato-led force Isaf in south-west Afghanistan apologised for the deaths and, this was it.

I do not want to rant about the cruelty and the blatant disregard by the US of this particular incident because, let’s be honest, it’s Afghanistan – a war-torn country where children’s deaths don’t matter and its president’s ceremonial statement has no status.

The incident, however, led me to draw a comparison with similar statements issued by the Pakistani leadership. After the US operation in Abbottabad, our parliament passed a resolution while representatives of the government as well as the opposition issued a “last warning” to the US, saying Pakistan will “consider” blocking Nato supplies in case there is another drone attack. And there were two drone strikes the next day. Politicians and leaders also said Pakistan will not compromise on its sovereignty but in the weeks that followed, Nato helicopters violated its airspace - twice.

So, I will not rant about the deaths of thousands of Pakistani civilians and security officials, the failure of our army, navy and air force to protect themselves, and how I feel claustrophobic every time I leave my house as every day I drive past one or the other of the places that have been attacked.

Let’s be honest, we may have a bomb but that doesn’t take away the fact that our leadership is as impotent as the leadership in Afghanistan.

Just as I laugh at President Karzai’s statement, the world laughs at my state.