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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Pakistan's reaction to Obama's election victory | Pakistan's reaction to Obama's election victory |
| (5 months later) | |
| The official reaction from the Pakistani diplomats was icily correct: "President Asif Ali Zardari has warmly felicitated President Barack Obama on his re-election as the President of the United States of America," said a statement issued by Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs. | The official reaction from the Pakistani diplomats was icily correct: "President Asif Ali Zardari has warmly felicitated President Barack Obama on his re-election as the President of the United States of America," said a statement issued by Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs. |
| "The President expressed the hope that the relationship between Pakistan and the US would continue to prosper during President Obama's new term in office." | "The President expressed the hope that the relationship between Pakistan and the US would continue to prosper during President Obama's new term in office." |
| Obama's first term was marked by a severe deterioration of relations between Pakistan and the US, especially since the killing of Osama bin Laden by US special forces in a northern Pakistani town in May last year. Obama said repeatedly during the campaign that the killing of Bin Laden was a major victory for US counter-terrorism and a key achievement of his presidency, much to the irritation of many Pakistanis. | Obama's first term was marked by a severe deterioration of relations between Pakistan and the US, especially since the killing of Osama bin Laden by US special forces in a northern Pakistani town in May last year. Obama said repeatedly during the campaign that the killing of Bin Laden was a major victory for US counter-terrorism and a key achievement of his presidency, much to the irritation of many Pakistanis. |
| Controversial drone strikes, which are deeply unpopular in much of Pakistan and a technical breach of the country's sovereignty, have also increased markedly under Obama. Credited with eliminating many other senior militants, these were also used to bolster the president's security record during the campaign. A series of other incidents has kept tensions raised between the two countries. | Controversial drone strikes, which are deeply unpopular in much of Pakistan and a technical breach of the country's sovereignty, have also increased markedly under Obama. Credited with eliminating many other senior militants, these were also used to bolster the president's security record during the campaign. A series of other incidents has kept tensions raised between the two countries. |
| In a BBC World Service pre-election opinion poll around the world, conducted between July and September, Pakistanis said they favoured Romney. Pakistan was the only country out of more than 20 sampled to do so. However, large numbers of people polled said they were indifferent to, or unaware of, the election. | In a BBC World Service pre-election opinion poll around the world, conducted between July and September, Pakistanis said they favoured Romney. Pakistan was the only country out of more than 20 sampled to do so. However, large numbers of people polled said they were indifferent to, or unaware of, the election. |
| The well-known commentator and editor Najam Sethi said: "There is some apprehension. There are fears of more drones, more demands, a sense that [Obama] was going to be bad for Pakistan. Pakistanis in general didn't like Obama and identified their anti-Americanism with him so were rooting for [Romney]." | The well-known commentator and editor Najam Sethi said: "There is some apprehension. There are fears of more drones, more demands, a sense that [Obama] was going to be bad for Pakistan. Pakistanis in general didn't like Obama and identified their anti-Americanism with him so were rooting for [Romney]." |
| Sethi said, however, there had been a difference between commentary in the popular Urdu media and the English-language media favoured by the elite. | Sethi said, however, there had been a difference between commentary in the popular Urdu media and the English-language media favoured by the elite. |
| "The more sensible, informed people recognise that perhaps Romney might have listened more to the Pentagon [and] the CIA, and been less sensitive to Pakistan's concerns in the endgame in Afghanistan," he told the Guardian. | "The more sensible, informed people recognise that perhaps Romney might have listened more to the Pentagon [and] the CIA, and been less sensitive to Pakistan's concerns in the endgame in Afghanistan," he told the Guardian. |
| Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-conservative politician, told reporters Obama's first term in office had been "very tough on Pakistan", as the president's strategy in Afghanistan – where troop levels were temporarily increased – and emphasis on the use of drones had led to "increased militancy" in the country. | Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-conservative politician, told reporters Obama's first term in office had been "very tough on Pakistan", as the president's strategy in Afghanistan – where troop levels were temporarily increased – and emphasis on the use of drones had led to "increased militancy" in the country. |
| "Now he [Obama] is no longer under the pressure to be re-elected, we hope that he will give peace a chance, which we so desperately need," Khan said, while addressing a conference in india. | "Now he [Obama] is no longer under the pressure to be re-elected, we hope that he will give peace a chance, which we so desperately need," Khan said, while addressing a conference in india. |
| Some in Pakistan was please by the result, however. Zafar Moti, a stockbroker in Karachi, collected several bottles of 18-year-old whisky after winning bets with friends that Obama would be returned. | Some in Pakistan was please by the result, however. Zafar Moti, a stockbroker in Karachi, collected several bottles of 18-year-old whisky after winning bets with friends that Obama would be returned. |
| "Everybody was saying Romney is better for Pakistan, but I said they were wrong," he said. "He was much more likely to declare war on Iran, and that would have been a disaster for Pakistan and the Middle East. OK, Obama has been more stick than carrot with Pakistan, but at least it is a stick we know." | "Everybody was saying Romney is better for Pakistan, but I said they were wrong," he said. "He was much more likely to declare war on Iran, and that would have been a disaster for Pakistan and the Middle East. OK, Obama has been more stick than carrot with Pakistan, but at least it is a stick we know." |
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