Pakistanis grudgingly share the global excitement of Barack Obama's victory. Grudgingly, because many Pakistanis have not forgotten the president-elect's campaign rhetoric of possibly attacking Pakistani territory to combat terrorism.

Pakistanis, who know better the complexity of the terrorism problem and who bear the high costs of this violence (in recent years as many as 3,000 military and paramilitary personnel and many more thousands of civilians have been killed), found Obama's resolve to attack their territory both aggressive and naive.

This notwithstanding, Pakistanis at the same time hope for and expect Obama, as president, to be more patient, wiser and more multilateralist in the conduct of US foreign policy. There is also expectation in Pakistan that behind his combative electioneering rhetoric exists a more informed outlook that will determine America's choices.

Many pin their hopes on the wisdom espoused by one of Obama's foreign policy advisors, the highly experienced Zbigniew Brzezinski. Many in Pakistan watched in mid-October Brzezinski's interview on the BBC show Hard Talk, in which the former National Security Advisor advised the next US President to be mindful of the intrinsic importance of a strategic country of 160 million people, instead of viewing its significance merely through the prism of Afghanistan.

Border matters

The Obama administration's Pakistan policy will have to remain mindful of Pakistan's legitimate security interests.

Pakistan's external security concerns - in particular its relations with two key neighbours, Afghanistan and India - must be addressed. While relations with both neighbours are on the mend, border matters, refugee issues and security issues with Afghanistan require settlement. Pakistanis hope that Obama will heed the voices of American and Nato generals who are fast concluding that 70 per cent of Afghanistan's problems lie within the country.

Similarly, with India, it is hoped there will be more understanding when it comes to serious bilateral engagement on the unresolved Kashmir issue. Pakistanis welcomed Obama's acknowledgement that its resolution would help to reduce Pakistan's militancy problem - one of the last statements Obama made before ending his campaign.

With Obama in office, there is hope that he will place greater emphasis on soft power in promoting US foreign policy objectives in the region. Many Pakistanis now hope for fewer US drone attacks on Pakistani territory and a friendlier, more humane engagement. Perhaps as a sign of this region's clamor for peace, last month a group of young students in Peshawar collected two hundred dollars to contribute to Obama's election campaign.

Their message, broadcast throughout Pakistan, was: "We are sending Obama this money for his campaign so that when he becomes president he will not attack our homeland."

Pakistanis now eagerly await change in Washington's policy towards their country. With Barack Obama in the White House and a democratic government in Pakistan, they look forward to greater cooperation within the framework of genuine dialogue, greater trust and mutual respect.

Nasim Zehra is an Associate Fellow of the Asia Society and a Fellow of Harvard University Asia Centre.