Pakistani-Americans look to the future

    The death of Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani town has pundits speculating on what it means for relations with that country. President Barack Obama’s top counterterrorism adviser says it’s inconceivable that Osama bin Laden didn’t have some support in Pakistan.

    Standing outside his restaurant in West Philadelphia, Pakistani American Kashif Khan said his initial reaction to the news of bin Laden’s death was positive.

    “That’s good. He died. So I’m gonna say that’s good for the Muslims because nobody liked Osama,” said Khan.

    Khan said the man who described himself as the architect of the 9/11 attacks was not a leader of Muslims.

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    Down the street, at another Pakistani restaurant, Omar Ashad ate lunch with co-workers. Ashad, whose parents immigrated from Pakistan, said it sounds like the U.S. had to go it alone without the knowledge of the Pakistani government. If that’s the case, he said, it could hurt relations between the two countries.

    “That’s been an issue with U.S and Pakistani relations. The U.S. is not respecting the sovereignty of the Pakistani government. That’s always been a problem with the last several years, especially with the drone attacks, civilians have been killed in the drone attacks,” said Ashad. “Fortunately, in this particular operation, it was done well and no one was injured.”

    Ashad said he hopes the death of bin Laden will make the country safer from terrorist attacks.

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