As part of behind-the-scenes efforts aimed at the normalisation of Pakistan-United States relations, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Lt General Ahmad Shuja Pasha rushed to Doha, Qatar a few days ago to meet senior American military officials, Pakistan Today learnt on Thursday.
This visit to Qatar was important in a sense that it came a few days after the US military announced the findings of its probe into a deadly air strike by NATO helicopters on Pakistani border posts last month, which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
A security official confirmed the visit of General Pasha to Doha, but he would not give the purpose of the ISI chief’s visit to the Gulf state. However, it is believed that the visit was linked to the US enquiry.
A diplomatic source said Pakistan Army had already rejected the US probe report but a detailed response would be given after a review of the report handed over by American officials to Pakistani authorities.
“The US administration is still trying for a patch-up and efforts are afoot on its part to win back Islamabad’s support for counter-terrorism,” he said. “I think the US officials would have made the same request of revival of counter-terrorism cooperation to General Pasha and resumption of NATO supplies through Pakistan and in return could have given assurances that no violation of the Pakistani border would take place in future,” he added.
Interestingly, it was Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who gave the information to journalists about Pasha’s visit to Doha a couple of days ago, but the prime minister did not say what the purpose of the ISI chief’s trip was.
It is also believed that Pasha would have spoken to Qatari authorities and US officials there on the opening of a Taliban office in Doha to carry forward the reconciliation process with the Taliban.
Pasha went to Doha to meet US military officials
