Federal Defense Minister Ch. Ahmed Mukthar on Wednesday in univocal terms said that no one including Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Director General Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shujja Pasha are indispensible for Pakistan, adding that, the country’s civilian and military leadership are mulling to change its defense Policy keeping in view the current situation.
Now time has come to hold talks with serious people alongside of Pak-Afghan border for Peace in the region, he said this while talking to media men at defense ministry. He claimed that he was misquoted in an interview by British broadcasting Corporation. “The country is passing through a very crucial time. War is being waged in tribal areas. Our economy is suffering due to war against terrorism and extremism”, he said.
Replying to a question, the defense minister said, Pakistan-US relations have strained since the May 2 incident and relations between both counties can not be improved by enhancing bilateral relations.
He urged the international community not to neglect country’s sacrifices in war against terrorism. DG ISI had offered to tender resignation in the joint sitting of the Parliament but the incumbent leadership rejected his resignation, he said. The Obama administration has stopped the next tranche under the head of coalition support funds. Replying to a query, he said, the fate of those who were detained under anti terrorism act has not been decided. I don’t know so far whether they would be tried in military courts or civil courts, he said. Shamsi airbase and Gazi airbase was in Pakistan’s control, he said. US Senator John Kerry had assured Pakistani leadership that US
policy has no designs against Pakistan’s nuclear and strategic assets US. Taliban Commander Mullah Omar is not Pakistan if he was in Pakistan then must have fled away after Osama Bin Laden debacle, he said. When asked about family of Osama Bin Laden, he said, they would be repatriated in accordance with their wish.