Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar says the Haqqani group that the US holds responsible for last week’s attack against the American embassy in Kabul was CIA’s “blue-eyed boy” for many years. Responding to questions during an interview with Al Jazeera television, Khar, who is in New York leading Pakistan’s delegation to the UN General Assembly, rejected US accusations against the Pakistani intelligence agency, saying it has no links to the Haqqani network.
“If we talk about links, I am sure the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) also has links with many terrorist organisations around the world, by which we mean intelligence links,” she said. “And this particular network, which [the United States] continues to talk about, is a network which was the blue-eyed boy of the CIA itself for many years.”
Specifically asked about Admiral Mike Mullen’ statement that the Haqqani group “acts as a veritable arm” of ISI, the foreign minister said, “It is something that goes very, very unappreciated on our side. This is unsubstantiated. No evidence has been shared with us.” Partners and allies, she said, do not talk to each other through public statements.
Pakistan had taken up the matter with the United States, but the spate of hostile statements coming from senior US officials meant that Washington had taken policy decision. If that was the case then “We have the right to make our own decision.”
Khar went to say that scapegoating and blame games would not help. Pakistan wanted to be a US partner. “I just hope that we’ll be given a chance to co-operate with each other and the doors will remain open – because statements like this are pretty much close to shutting those doors,” she added.
Such statement would alienate the people of Pakistan. Replying to a question, the foreign minister said the drone attacks not only violated Pakistan’s sovereignty, they were also counterproductive, and greatly anger the people of Pakistan. “I think we must not be tested more than we have the ability to bear,” she added.
Ms Khar you are doing the right thing. It is not right to go out and kill people Texan style. US government was advised by the government of Pakistan back in the days to get involved in Post Soviet Afghanistan but it was not listened. Had it been heeded 9/11 was avoidable and it would have been a different Afghanistan today. US please don’t make the same mistake twice. The solution lies in engaging and neutralising and not in charging and aggravating..
Had you and your Pakistanis been so wise over 35000 Pakistanis wouldn'g have died in terrorism. Why don't you apply this formula to those who are killing people in Pakistan ?.. You have all the advices in the world which exclude punishment for terrorists as you want them to be alive so that you could maintain your importance. why would you kill a hen that lays golden eggs ? ISI indeed is a rogue institute which has used terror as instrument of Pakistan' sforegn policy. But remember, you can always create temporary mayhem by killings through terrorism but you can never prevail in the long run and you will suffer as much. Groups like LeT can never develop trans border capabilities without active help of ISI. How much you will befool and show this fake anger ? YOu will get away this time as well as in private you will agree and beg from US. but the damage it has done to Pakistan's credibillty is irrepairable.
Foreign Minister has come out of the shell like a, " Hill Billy " of Pakistan. Her gallant remarks and well thought comments have surprised all. Wisely, she is selecting situations carefully and giving statements very cautiously but bluntly. She is hard core Khar and a sensible one, too. Graduate from UMass, has shown a spark in her trip to the world of New York. While, she is here for the UN address, but surely she is making a lot of people concerned feel her presence in the international politics. Few years exposure in this position and international arena will give her the experience to deal with most tense and important diplomatic outstanding issues between Pakistan and other countries. Good Luck, Foreign Minister.
She is very much right. All this situation is created by CIA who are responsible for the failure of war against terror. As Amercan forces did not give any remarkable success in this war and now they are blaming Pakistan and ISI to hide there own mistakes .
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