Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States is calling for an end to CIA drone strikes ahead of an intelligence summit in Washington between the two countries expected next week.
In a debate on Friday with White House war adviser Douglas Lute, Ambassador Sherry Rehman said the drone attacks succeeded in damaging al Qaeda but were now only serving to recruit new militants. The two were speaking to an audience at the Aspen Security Forum.
“I am not saying drones have not assisted in the war against terror, but they have diminishing rate of returns,” she said, speaking by video teleconference from Washington.
“We will seek an end to drone strikes and there will be no compromise on that,” she added.
Lute would not comment on the drone programme, but US officials have said privately that the programme will continue because Pakistan has proved incapable or unwilling to target militants.
She defended Pakistan’s arrest of Dr Shakil Afridi, who has been sentenced to more than three decades in prison for aiding the CIA in tracking down bin Laden by conducting a vaccine programme in the military town where the terrorist mastermind turned out to be hiding.
US lawmakers have threatened to halt millions of dollars in aid to Pakistan if Afridi is not released, in recognition of his contribution to helping track down bin Laden.
“He had no clue he was looking for Osama bin Laden,” she countered adding Shakeel was contracting with a foreign intelligence agency.
She added that Afridi’s actions put thousands of children at risk because some vaccine programmes had to be ended after Pakistani aid workers were targeted by the Taliban.
She also dismissed the claim by some lawmakers that Pakistan was harboring al Qaeda or other militants who intend to harm the US.
She said Pakistan’s army was working hard to combat the militants, including reporting 52 times to NATO in recent months when militants were spotted crossing into Afghan territory.
“Pakistan is maxed out on the international border with Afghanistan,” she said of Pakistani efforts.
“Sovereignty has privileges but also comes with responsibilities,” countered Lute who called for Pakistan to step up its efforts and to cease “hedging its bets” by supporting the Afghan Taliban.
The two did agree, however, that Pakistan could help broker an eventual peace deal with the Taliban.
Drone attacks serving to recruit new militants: Sherry
