巴基斯坦前总理：我们有能力重建经济

你说过如果巴基斯坦能和美国达成自由贸易协议，而非援助协定，巴基斯坦的状况会更好，但从美巴关系现状来看，这似乎不太可能。

    我对达成自由贸易协定可不乐观。当初美国国会非常友好的时候，他们也没能推动相关议案获得通过，其中甚至包括已经承诺会批准的议案，比如在阿富汗和巴基斯坦边境地区设立重建机会区（Reconstruction Opportunity Zones）的议案。它对这三个国家都非常重要，设想是允许部落地区生产的所有商品都能免征关税，进入美国市场。显然在这个地区开设工厂的生产成本会很高，至少刚开始是这样，因为那里根本没有基础设施可言。这个议案的构想和设计都不错，能够创造就业机会。否则，当地人绝没有动力放下手里的枪。美国国会已针对海地、约旦，可能还有其他国家，批准了类似的特别市场准入计划。五、六年前美国就已（对巴基斯坦）作出承诺，但时至今日仍然没有任何动静。

    我们确实需要重新考虑这些事情，以便地区（特别是边境地区）重归和平时人们能找到其他的谋生手段。安全并不是大问题。本地人自己就可以实现地区安全。同样也没有必要引进外商；这一地区现有的企业家群体已经最够庞大。我们讨论的是纺织市场微乎其微的份额，但它具有很重要的象征意义，因为它能给予人们希望。藉此美国政府和美国国会可以向边境地区人民传递出这样一个信息：我们希望你们拥有一个更美好、更安宁的未来。

You've said that Pakistan would be better off with a free trade agreement with the U.S., instead of aid, but given the state of US-Pakistan relations that seems very unlikely.

    I'm not optimistic about a free trade agreement because even when Congress was very friendly, they couldn't get things through, even things which were promised like the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones in the border area of Afghanistan and Pakistan, which was important for all three countries. The idea was to give duty-free access to the U.S. market for any goods produced in the tribal areas. Obviously when you put up a factory there the cost of production will be high, initially at least, because there is no infrastructure. This was a well-conceived and well-designed way of creating jobs. Otherwise they will have no incentive to put down their guns. Congress has approved other special market access programs like this for Haiti and Jordan, and maybe others. It was promised by the U.S. five or six years ago but nothing happened.

    We really need to re-focus on these things so that when peace returns in the area, especially in the border areas, people will have alternatives for making a living. Security is not a big issue. It can be done by local people. You don't need expatriates; there are already plenty of entrepreneurs in that area. You're talking about very small numbers for the textile market, but symbolically it's very important because it will give people hope. This would be a good way for the U.S. government and Congress to send a message to people in the border areas: we want you to have a better, peaceful future.