In his meeting with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on Thursday, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pledged continued economic assistance to that country. That promise carries greater significance than ever before, given Pakistan's strategic position as a forward base in the war on terrorism.
Speaking to the Japan National Press Club the day before, Mr. Musharraf said the world changed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. And so, too, did Pakistan. Hit by international sanctions following its nuclear testing in 1998 and the military coup in 1999, Pakistan saw the sanctions and international aid begin pouring in after Sept. 11.
However, assistance to Pakistan needs to be addressed primarily from the historical perspective of modernizing an Islamic state, and not for the immediate purpose of fighting terrorism. It is vital, therefore, that donor nations, including Japan, support economic development and democratic reform in Pakistan in ways that help President Musharraf to achieve his nation-building goals. Modernity and democracy are the best defense against Islamic extremism.