Pakistan registers protest with US, 10 days later

US Ambassador Cameron Munter was summoned to the Foreign Office on Thursday to register Islamabad’s protest against the covert US operation in Abbottabad on May 2 in which Osama bin Laden was killed. Munter met Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir who told him that keeping Pakistan in dark about the Abbottabad operation by the US Special Forces had harmed the relations between the two main allies in the global anti-terrorism campaign.
“The summoning of the US ambassador to the Foreign Office was meant to register Pakistan’s protest against the US operation that violated Pakistan’s sovereignty,” a FO official said. The protest by Pakistan was lodged 10 days after the Abbottabad incident that had shocked the entire nation. However, US embassy spokesman Alberto Rodriguez denied that the American ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office. He said it was a routine meeting between Ambassador Munter and Foreign Secretary Bashir.
To boost the nation’s morale, Pakistani authorities have decided to take a tough stance on the contentious issue with the US. In the wake of strong statements by civilian and military leaders saying that any such operation would be given a befitting response in future, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani,
In an interview with Time magazine, said cooperation between the ISI and the CIA had broken down and the two agencies differed on how to fight terrorism. “The US military action has led to deep anguish among the ruling circles and the Pakistani nation and any such step in future will lead to severing of ties between Islamabad and Washington, the US ambassador was clearly told by Foreign Secretary Bashir,” the official said.
He said the foreign secretary told the US ambassador that the US operation was an assault on Pakistan’s sovereignty and the entire nation felt humiliated. He quoted Munter as saying his country wanted to improve its ties with Pakistan and it would continue with its cooperation with Islamabad in defence and economic sectors. “On Pakistan’s concerns about the Abbottabad operation, Munter said he will pass them on to senior officials in Washington,” the official said.