Musharraf ‘disappointed’ that Obama won’t visit Pak on sidelines of India trip

WASHINGTON - Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has voiced his disappointment over the fact that US President Barack Obama will not stop in Pakistan on the sidelines of his maiden visit to India.

“I would take it as a disappointment, yes, indeed,” The News quoted Musharraf, as saying to the media.

The former president also criticised Obama for not speaking on the Kashmir issue, something, he said, did not resonate well with the people of Pakistan

“It doesn’t resonate well with the people of Pakistan,” he said, adding, “They take it that the United States or the president of the United States is not that concerned about Pakistan’s own sensitivities and interests.”

For many US policymakers, it would be unthinkable for Obama to visit Pakistan on the sidelines of the long-promoted trip, as Obama is hoping to show India that he sees it as a global power and not simply as a regional player, the paper said.

But Obama, in a delicate balancing act, has also tried to convince Pakistan that he sees the country as more than simply a conduit into Afghanistan for war operations.

Ahead of the India trip, Obama invited Musharraf’s civilian successor, President Asif Ali Zardari, for a future visit to Washington, and announced that he would visit Pakistan next year. (ANI)