Islamabad has vehemently rejected recent assertions by US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta regarding terrorist “safe havens” in Pakistan. “We feel that the (US) secretary of defence is oversimplifying some of the very complex issues we are all dealing within our efforts against extremism and terrorism. These issues need to be seen in the context of overall peace and stability in Afghanistan and the broader region,” a Foreign Office statement said on Saturday. Panetta had said in Kabul a couple of days ago that the US was reaching the limits of patience with Pakistan. “There is an increasing concern that the safe haven exists and that there were those – likely Haqqanis – who were making use of that to attack our forces,” Panetta had said.
War: In a latest interview with FOX TV, Panetta just stopped short of saying that the US was at war with Pakistan, saying the US was at war in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). “Without ever getting into the details of what we may or may not do, I think it suffices to say that the United States will do whatever we have to do to protect our forces,” Fox News quoted Panetta as saying.
“We cannot continue to tolerate a situation where Haqqanis, terrorists on their side of the border, come across, attack our troops, kill our troops, and then return to a safe haven in Pakistan. That’s intolerable,” Panetta said. His comments are likely to fuel the already uncontrollable fire. Pakistan and the US are passing through a critical phase in their bilateral relations that have reached the lowest ebb since the US Special Forces raided an alleged hideout of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and killed him on May 2 last year. Later, an unprovoked NATO attack on a Pakistani border post in Salala killed 24 soldiers; forcing Islamabad to block NATO supplies and get the Shamsi airbase vacated from US officials. Ever since, it has been a rocky ride road for Pak-US ties.
The Foreign Office statement said Pakistan had repeatedly said that it would not allow its territory to be used against any country, nor would it allow any safe havens on its territory. “We are fighting terrorism and extremism in our own national interest and nobody should doubt our resolve and determination in this regard. Our sacrifices remain unparalleled and our resolve unshakable,” the statement added.
“Pakistan is following a well-thought-out strategy to eradicate the menace of extremism and terrorism and will follow its own time line. We strongly believe that such statements are misplaced and unhelpful in bringing about peace and stability in the region”.
Our FO & leaders (Zardari & Gilani) are bigger idiots, much much bigger idiots than Panetta. Frankly who can blame him for the statement when one has to work with such incompetent fools. Hang them!
well thats the best FO can do! I am 100% sure the FO bureaucrat who is in charge of these half hearted drama that gets repeated every fortnight will be busy siphoning his/her money and kids to US himself/herself! Thats the unfortunate reality about Isloo! Everyone is so schizophrenic, indifferent, selfish & clumsily corrupt!! This city is not a natural human habitat ……. its a locality of the worst traitors from all over Pakistan!! All of these "Brown-sahib" "already-sold" bureaucrats should be kicked off the Margala hills!!
US will soon attack you
hey Indian Khan, can u plz concentrate more on how all those corrupt politicians, bureaucrats & Mitals & Ambinis are grabbing all THAT corruption money and shipping it Switzerland!! Game over my friend! The Indian economic boom party has come to an end! Back to reality! Off the goes gravity! So get the h _ ll out of here!!
Let them but understand they will themselves get a very bloody nose in this fight.
Why are you waiting to fall behind USA? Come on attack us. You are the same Indians who always kiss the white man and copycat the white culture.
The Americans are the least trustworthy people on this planet. We made the blunder of supporting them all along throughout our history and in SEATO and CENTO. The fault is in our politicians, military and bureaucrats, who continue to welcome the western people as something special. That is because they get loans and sink deeper into debt and default.
America has now acquired a habit of fighting a war somewhere in the world at any one given point in time. To keep their MIC in working condition. This is ruled by an incurable threat perception that the whole world hates them and is out to ruin them. So, keep the world occupied in wars that will feed our fears and Military Industrial Complex.
Now they are fighting us to prove their newly developed weapons and their 'stealth ship.' When will our institutions wake up, that is, if they are institutions any longer. Salams
@NK Ali :
I am writing here taking into account your other comments in this news column.
My dear Ali, I think the days of war between India and Pakistan are gone, though war can not be ruled out completely. But we should not talk in the way as, Come and attack us or I will attack you. Stop all this kidding.
Now, I refer to your main comments here about Pakistan supporting in SEATO and CENTO.
If seen in 2012 situation, you seem to be quite right. But in hindsight, western countries wanted to contain Communist USSR and also wanted to delay the rise of India and posibally to balcanise it with the help of Pakistan. Pakistan wanted their support against India- the country most hated by Pakistan – for which they were willingly ready.
So, it was not a pakistani blunder as you say but well considered policy which came handy to save West Pakistan in 1971 when USA threatened nuking India if India did not stop its advances into W.Pakistan. Indira Gandhi had to one sidedly announce the ceasefire.
USA and NATO countries are the international bullies, every body knows. BUT Pakistan is also not a saintly country even if Gen Kayani declares it 'Peace Loving'.
There are strong indications that a new govt will come to centre after 2014 in India and that govt will be pro Afghanistan, pro China and anti Pakistan and anti America because the PM candidate of that new govt is Narendra modi, the accused of anti muslim riots. US has not granted him Visa for his alleged roles in riots whereas the same person has very good relations with China.
He is currently CM of Gujrat in India. China has invested 1800 crores in his state.
On Modi’s diplomacy, china govt released 14 Indian prisonors.
Narendra Modi is anti Pakistan from birth. If sources are to believed, he is the mastermind of gurilla movements in Balochistan and Sindh.
If he become PM, he will surely attack pak in the name of human rights violation in balochistan and sindh as India did for Bangladesh.
Deteriorating economy of Pakistan, isolation from international community and terrorism…..all these things have created a sound ground for Pakistan to undergo partition again which is backed by India and US.
@indian khan : (Part-1 –to be continued in Part-2)
There is no patent cure for fear psychosis neither for delusionary state. Doctors do it by hit and trial method.
In India, every event is taken as an opportunity for vote bank politics and blown out of proportion.
The fact is that even after enquiries by 3 different agencies appointed by enemy Congress, nothing has come out against Modi.(Please, note that I am no supporter of Modi).
The facts of the event are that 59 hindus were burnt alive in a rail boggy in a planned manner. Consequently riots erupted in Gujarat in which about 250 hindus and about 750 muslims were killed in that frenzy. Every other thing has been distorted by Modi's enemies.
The charge against modi is that he did not act quickly to step the riots. This charge can be thrown upon any ruler of the time, namely thousands die every year in Karachi, without political support this can not go on but it is going on for the last about 25 years if I remember correctly.(Gen. Zia ul Haq pitted pashtuns and afghans against others in Karachi and they started killing each other)
@indian khan: (Part-2 continued from Part-1)
As far as Modi is concerned, nothing has been proved even after propping up of paid witnesses and false afidavits against him in courts.
IN NO WAY, I am justifying the riots and loss of precious human lives. Whatever happened is very much regretable. It should be regretable for both Hindus and Muslims. Vote bank politics of India have blown it out of proportion and others like you are taking undue advantage.
Be happy that a saintly country like US (US seems just like a saintly friend to Pakistan and you) has denied visa to Modi.
I do not take the goose chase … We are too weak to oppose them.
People wake up we really nothing we can do …
It is very embarrassing
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