Skewed view:

Pakistan, never far from the news, has been firmly in the international spotlight since the Mumbai attacks. The steady drip of leaks from investigators in India and comments by Indian and American officials suggest that a Pakistani connection to the Mumbai attacks has been irrefutably established, at least in the eyes of the wider world. We wish the world, and in particular the US, was not so selective in its memories of what has brought Pakistan to such a pass.

The Lashkar’s capabilities grew on the watch of Gen Musharraf, supported by American dollars and a White House that believed he was its best bet to take on Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Even as it became clear that Musharraf was not delivering on American demands and was covertly supporting some militant groups, the Americans steadfastly stood by their man.

The torching of 150 trucks laden with Nato supplies and vehicles outside Peshawar on Sunday confirms that a dangerous game is under way. This is possible because the militants have overlapped and melded in ways that have extended their overall reach. So for Pakistan the priority then must be to push back against all militants. However, no plan will succeed if foreign countries regard terrorism in Pakistan in a piecemeal way that only narrowly focuses on their own interests. — Dawn (Pakistan)