On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in South Korea to discuss relations between their respective countries. How Pakistani citizens view such a meeting however, has been entirely dependent on its presentation in the media.
With added strain on the already fragile relationship between the two nations stemming from recent incidents like the NATO airstrike in November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, the air between them needs clearing. This recent meeting at the Security Summit has been met with a generally positive media reception in Pakistan. Reporters from The News, one of the most prominent Pakistani papers, quoted Obama as saying, “There have been times — I think we should be candid — over the last several months where those relations have had periods of strains,” continuing that he felt positive about the Pakistani Parliament reviewing the “nature of the relationship.” The News also gave Pakistani readers a sigh of relief by dispelling the notion of any escalation of conflict between the two countries. On the other hand, The Dawn, another widely circulated Pakistani newspaper, portraying Obama as a little more demanding, with an article titled “Obama Says Pakistan Review Must Respect Security Needs.” Despite the more critical headline, it appears that both sides are content with a diplomatic approach.
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