Obama’s Asia tour should have included ’strategic partner’ Pakistan: Musharraf

WASHINGTON - Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said that United States President Barack Obama should have added Pakistan to his Asia trip because of the central role that the country is playing in the war on terror in Afghanistan.

“One would have preferred that he should have gone to Pakistan to give due importance to Pakistan, which is fighting extremism and terrorism in a lead role and being a strategic partner with the US on this issue,” the Daily Times quoted Musharraf, as saying.

The former President further said that Obama’s support of India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) would not be viewed favorably in Pakistan.

Musharraf also emphasized that the ongoing drone strikes in Pakistan risk destabilizing the country.

“I don’t think Pakistan is the problem, but there is no doubt there is terrorism and extremism. The centre of gravity of all of this is Afghanistan. Pakistan is the victim of all this. We need to see Pakistan sympathetically,” Musharraf said.

Obama had begun his four-nation Asia tour with a three-day visit to India.

During his stay in New Delhi, Obama backed India for a permanent seat on the UNSC while addressing a joint session of Parliament.

“The just and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is effective, efficient, credible and legitimate. That is why I can say today: In the years ahead I look forward to a reformed U.N. Security Council that includes India as a permanent member,” Obama had said.

The US President’s tour also saw a 20-hour stopover in Indonesia.

He is currently in South Korea to attend the G20 Summit in Seoul, after which he will continue on to Japan to attend the APEC Summit in Yokohama. (ANI)