U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wound up a bridge-building visit to Pakistan on Friday leaving a sharp question ringing in my ears; ‘If she can go to such many places in Pakistan not only to approach Pakistanis hearts but facing tough questions and answering them herself (either satisfactory or not), why our leaders are reluctant to follow her foot steps?

On Wednesday, when Ms. Clinton arrived, a car bomb in a market in the northwest city of Peshawar killed more than 100 people, mostly women and children, and wounded nearly 200 leaving the citizens upset for the next two days.

Pakistan’s army is in the middle of a massive offensive against Taliban militants strongholds in South Waziristan that has prompted a spate of bloody revenge attacks on urban targets. While most Pakistanis are against the extremists, many also believe they are fueled by Islamabad’s links with Washington.

Clinton’s main message in Pakistan — that the forces binding Pakistanis and Americans together are far stronger than those dividing them — was constant, and she urged audiences to stand guard against extreme religious doctrine that seeks to impose its will on the population. Through it all, Clinton has proved unflustered, acknowledging the “trust deficit” created by past U.S. mistakes while firmly responding to charges the United States does not have Pakistan’s best interests at heart.

Clinton was cautiously optimistic her visit may have changed a few hearts and minds among fearful Pakistanis although she said much more needed to be done to illustrate how the United States is helping the country. Probably the best way to help Pakistan and its people is by respecting their sovereignty and by bringing drone attacks to an end as initial steps as we are facing a 9/11 almost every other day because of fighting ‘their’ war on terror.

Image: Dawn