Open Letter to President Obama

Dear Mr President:

You have reiterated the need for good governance on your very recent visit to Africa. A couple of months back, it was reported in the US media that governance in Pakistan was a major concern to you. In fact, it 'scared' you. You have also been focusing on good governance in the US so much so that you had said before your inauguration as the president that you would go over the US budget item by item and scrap all unnecessary expense accounts.

I personally supported you via webmail all along your 21-month presidential campaign, hoping that you would become a beacon of light to the whole world at the end of the dark tunnel. I was one of your first 5 friends with my picture under the link Friends on your campaign website. I posted several articles on your my.barackobama.com. I predicted your victory, majority popular vote and majority in the Congress in polls and surveys as well as columns and comments in the US print media.

I did all that not only for Pakistan but the whole world for the simple reason that the US policies affected all countries, directly or indirectly. You may be aware of the fact that you received 87% of the global votes in a poll before you were elected. I called you Global President right on your campaign website.

During your election campaign, you had said that the general [general pervez musharraf] had lost the public confidence and must go. 'The Washington Post' headlined its editorial 'The general must go.' The general did go, but his policies remained intact. His shadow still hovers over Islamabad, the federal capital of Pakistan.

Coming back to good governance, may I ask you, Mr President, to please apprise me and others on Good Governance Forum, ranked 3rd out of 7.389 million listings on the World's #1 search engine Google as of today, as to whether or not good governance in Pakistan matters to the US administration. And if it does, what the US administration has done so far to help improve it in Pakistan and what it plans to do in the future as Pakistan's friend, ally and well-wisher.

Kind regards.

Sincerely,

Mumtaz A. Piracha
Founder & Moderator
Good Governance Forum
Pakistan

---Leading the Way to Meet the Challenge of Change in Pakistan