The Nov. 10 article by Brahma Chellaney, "Pakistan's uncertain future," gives a bleak picture of Pakistan that I am afraid does not exist in reality. Allow me to rectify this false image so that The Japan Times readers have a clear and balanced view of my country, which is so much in the news these days.
It is sad that the writer has assaulted Pakistan's national identity by depicting it as tribal and fragmentary. Pakistan's nationhood is absolutely legitimate and beyond question.
Pakistan may have had its share of problems, but whenever we've been put to the test, we have been on the side of freedom, the norms of civilized behavior, moderation and liberalization even though it entailed risks. That was true in 1979, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, and it's true today as we support the international coalition's fight against terrorism. Pakistan lives in a hostile security environment where survival alone is an achievement, yet we have done much more than just survive by serving causes larger than our own.