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Islamabad, Mar 6: US President George W Bush not giving even a "lollipop" to Islamabad shows that "India interests the US, but Pakistan worries it," wherein lies the "qualitative difference" in the two relationships, the Pakistani media said on Sunday.

Opposition political parties also flayed Bush’s visit to the country, saying it did not bring any tangible gains on Kashmir, nuclear energy or defence.

"President Bush alone knows exactly why he visited Pakistan. But Pakistanis generally feel that he has not even given a lollipop to Pakistan. No resolution of the Kashmir dispute, no roadmap to democracy, no appreciation of Pakistan’s energy needs and no attempts to cool down tempers over the blasphemous cartoons," local daily Pakistan said.

In an elaborate editorial, The Daily Times said Bush’s blunt refusal "without any qualms" to extend the nuclear deal he struck with India to Pakistan, asserting that both the countries had "different histories and needs," reflected Islamabad’s interests were in variance with that of Washington in the aftermath of the 9/11.

"The difference between the two relationships (of the US with India and Pakistan) springs from the fact that India interests the US, but Pakistan worries it. Therein lies the qualitative difference," the daily said.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said Bush’s refusal to extend civilian nuclear cooperation to Pakistan was a clear reminder that people’s power mattered more than the military and welcomed the American leaders call for "open and honest" elections in 2007.