President Pervez Musharraf has said that Pakistanis in general had a poor opinion of the United States and are "confused" and "dismayed" over the emerging strategic alliance between New Delhi and Washington.
"The man in the street does not have a good opinion about the US but the man in the street agrees with my policies. They understand whatever I am doing is in great national interest," he said in an interaction with American journalists at the Time magazine headquarters in New York.
"But people do feel betrayed by US on many counts one of which is non-delivery of F-16s. People wondered that Pakistan has been US ally for 47 years but finds itself suddenly abandoned. Adding insult to injury even sanctions were imposed. As if this was not enough US entered into strategic alliance with Pakistan's rival India. People get confused and dismayed," he was quoted as saying in the local media in Islamabad on Sunday.
Musharraf said he felt frustrated when the US media reported things which were far from reality.
"Everything is going very well between governments. President George W Bush never tells me that Pakistan is not doing enough but media gives a different story," he said.
He also decried the impression that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was not caught because of laxity on Pakistan's part.
"If Osama has not been arrested so far it is not Pakistan's fault but some burden has to be shared by US who has not equipped us with enough technical airborne reconnaissance intelligence," the Pakistan President added.
