Honesty is sometimes the best policy. Asif Ali Zardari, the president of Pakistan, has tried and tested it, and may even be said to have fine-tuned it. His candid admission of Pakistan being on the verge of collapse has persuaded donors all over the world to pay billions of dollars in aid and left many others guessing if the country should be condoned or condemned for playing dangerous games with terror. Mr Zardari’s latest confession before the international media and a domestic audience bests his record. He has admitted to a State policy of encouraging militants and using them as “strategic assets” to achieve short-term “tactical objectives”. This is something India has been at pains to prove to the world. However, notwithstanding the shock value of Mr Zardari’s comment, it is doubtful whether this reflects a “paradigm shift” in Pakistan. For one, it is clear that Mr Zardari’s reference is to Pakistan’s flawed policy of encouraging the pro-Taliban militia on its western borders — first against the Russians, and then to wrest strategic control in Afghanistan. There is no implicit acknowledgment of such a mistake occurring in the east. The admission of strategic interests guiding State policy, in fact, makes it easier for Pakistan to dissociate itself from the highfalutin principles of a religious war or jihad. This is in the best interest of the ongoing operations against the Taliban in the country, regarding which both the civilian and military establishments have tried hard to come up with a justification to present to the people. At present, there is overwhelming public support for the army action, but the mounting civilian costs, massive displacement and the persistent suicide attacks may turn the tide against the government and the army.

For the army, Mr Zardari’s pious admissions are unlikely to create much discomfort as long as these are confined to past mistakes. It has not had much trouble in making Mr Zardari turn his back on many of his earlier opinions such as, less Kashmir, more trade, or no-first-use of nuclear weapons. Besides, the army has no argument with Mr Zardari about the threat the Taliban poses. So far as the jihadis fighting for Kashmir are concerned, it is a different ballgame. Mr Zardari still does not find any strategic mistake in allowing pro-Kashmir militants to swamp Punjab for the continuing action on Pakistan’s eastern borders.