Pakistan protests Pentagon’s charge of patronising militancy

2
179

Pentagon report accuses Pakistan of using militants as proxy forces against Afghanistan, India and providing sanctuary to Haqqani network of militants

US envoy summoned to FO, PM’s adviser says Pakistan hopes all issues will be seen in ‘correct perspective’

Pakistan has lodged a protest with the United States over the “unwarranted and unsubstantiated comments” in the US Department of Defence report published Tuesday alleging that terrorist “sanctuaries” exist in Pakistan and that Pakistan is using “proxy forces” to carry out attacks in Afghanistan and India.

Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz conveyed Pakistan’s protest over the report to US Ambassador Richard Olson at the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

The adviser said that such allegations are of particular concern at a point when the Pakistani government has launched comprehensive operations against militants in North Waziristan.

Pakistan’s military offensive against terrorists – Operation Zarb-e-Azb –has been broadly welcomed by the international community including US, he said.

The operation has successfully eliminated terrorist hideouts and is directed against all militants, without any distinction, Aziz reportedly said, adding that Pakistan hopes that all issues will be seen in their correct perspective.

THE ALLEGATIONS:

The report following Pentagon’s latest assessment on security in Afghanistan has strongly criticised Iran, alleging that Iran and Pakistan are destabilising regional security.

The report adds that Afghan and Indian-focused militants continue to operate from Pakistan and that Pakistan is continuing to use militants as proxy forces in Afghanistan and India to hedge against Islamabad’s loss of influence in Afghanistan and to counter India’s superior military.

“Afghan and Indian-focused militants continue to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of Afghan and regional stability,” the Pentagon said in a recent report to US Congress on the situation in Afghanistan.

The report also alleges that Pakistan is providing “sanctuary” to militants of the Haqqani network, a group reportedly considered by Pakistan to be part of a moderate faction of the Taliban.

According to the report, the Haqqani network “remained the most potent strain of the insurgency and the greatest risk to US and coalition forces due to its focus on high-profile attacks…they will likely remain the most significant threat to coalition forces in the post-2014 non-combat mission, especially if they are not denied sanctuary in Pakistan.”

The new Pentagon report states, “These relationships (of Pakistan with terrorists) run counter to Pakistan’s public commitment to support Afghan-led reconciliation. Such groups continue to act as the primary irritant in Afghan – Pakistan bilateral relations.”

The Pentagon says Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp – the Quds Force – “provides calibrated lethal aid to the Taliban” in a bid to speed the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan.

At the same time, it says Tehran is focused on maintaining friendly relations with Afghanistan’s government and preventing a return to power by the Taliban.

It says Iran’s strategy includes a “soft-power campaign to promote a pro-Iranian and pro-Shia sentiment” in Afghanistan through a $1 billion aid and development program.

2 COMMENTS

Comments are closed.