WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday refrained from passing a judgment on the UN special rapporteur Ben Emmerson’s report that drone strikes in Pakistan had killed at least 400 civilians and that the strikes violate the country’s sovereignty.

“I can tell you that our administration is aware of Emmerson’s report.  But at this point, I don’t have a specific comment on either intelligence operations or any military operations,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Friday.

Earnest referred to talks with Pakistan on the drone strikes, “as you know, this administration is in regular and close contact with Pakistan.”

“We have a solid working relationship with them on a range of issues, including a close cooperative security relationship.  And we’re in touch with them on a regular basis on those issues, particularly the ones that relate to security.”

However, the press officer said that the US government was not going to be commenting further on the UN investigation report.

“At this point, we’re going to withhold judgment on the actual report.”

Asked whether the US maintains its position that the strikes do not violate Pakistan’s sovereignty, he said, “Again, I want to withhold judgment on the actual report in terms of the claims that they’re making.  I just want to leave it.”

Ben Emmerson, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, toured Pakistan from March 11 to 13 on a secret trip as part of efforts to gather first-hand information on drone strikes and their impact on civilians.

The visit was kept under wraps at the request of Emmerson, a senior foreign ministry official told The Express Tribune. However, on Friday the head of a UN panel issued a statement about his interactions with senior Pakistani authorities on the issue.

According to the statement, he was informed by Pakistani officials that at least 400 civilians have so far lost their lives due to US drone attacks.

This marks the first time that Pakistan officially acknowledged the number of civilian casualties in the CIA-led campaign began in 2004 to eliminate ‘high-value targets’ associated with al Qaeda and the Taliban from the tribal areas. Emmerson met senior government officials including the foreign minister, the adviser to the prime minister on human rights and the chairman of the Senate standing committee on Defence among other functionaries.

Pakistan reiterated its “known position that drone strikes are counter-productive, against international law and a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said the foreign ministry spokesperson.

Sources said the UN rapporteur was informed in clear terms that there was no secret understanding between Pakistan and the US on drone attacks.

“The position of the government of Pakistan is quite clear. It does not consent to the use of drones by the United States on its territory and it considers this to be a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Emmerson.

“The drone campaign involves the use of force on the territory of another state without its consent and is therefore a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty,” he said.

The foreign office said that in order to gather first-hand information on the strikes and impact on civilians, Emmerson also met with tribal leaders and victims of drone strikes in Islamabad.

Tribal leaders informed Emmerson that innocent tribesmen were often mistakenly targeted by drones because they were indistinguishable from Taliban militants.

“It is time for the international community to heed the concerns of Pakistan, and give the next democratically elected government of Pakistan the space, support and assistance it needs to deliver a lasting peace on its own territory without forcible military interference by other states,” said Emmerson.

Emerson will present his final report on drones during the next session of the General Assembly in October 2013.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2013. 

WASHINGTON: US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland reiterated the US’ stance on the Pak-Iran gas pipeline, saying they had serious concerns about the project that was formally inaugurated today.

“We have serious concerns if this project actually goes forward; the Iran Sanctions Act would be triggered. We have been straightforward with Pakistan on this,” said the spokesperson.

“We have also been working on alternative projects. We’ve heard this pipeline announced 10-15 times before in the past. If this project goes forward we have serious concerns that sanctions will be triggered.”

Nuland said if the project went forward, it would take Pakistan in the wrong direction.

President Asif Ali Zardari along with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad inaugurated the multi-billion dollar pipeline in Chahbahar on Monday.

The contentious gas pipeline was inaugurated by Zardari as he pulled the rope to reveal the foundation-laying plaque on the Pak-Iran border for the 1,600 kilometre long pipeline.

The US has issued warnings to invoke economic sanctions already in place against Iran if Pakistan went ahead with its plans to import natural gas from the Islamic republic.

The United States has steadfastly opposed Pakistani and Indian involvement, saying the project could violate sanctions imposed on Iran over nuclear activities that Washington suspects are aimed at developing a weapons capability. Iran denies this.

WASHINGTON DC: The US Senate voted 63-34 to confirm President Obama’s former counterterrorism advisor John Brennan as the new CIA director on Thursday.

The vote came after Republican Senator Rand Paul filibustered the nomination for nearly 13 hours on Wednesday, asking the White House to respond whether they would allow drone strikes to kill US citizens on US soil.

According to Senator Paul’s website, Attorney General Eric Holder responded to his question through a letter, responding with a no to the question “Does the President have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?”

After receiving the Attorney General’s response, Senator Paul announced he would end his objections to John Brennan’s nomination. In a statement, Paul said, “This is a major victory for American civil liberties and ensures the protection of our basic Constitutional rights. We have Separation of Powers to protect our rights. That’s what government was organized to do and that’s what the Constitution was put in place to do.” Senator Paul was amongst 34 senators who voted against Brennan’s nomination.

On Thursday afternoon, the Senate voted to end the debate on Brennan’s nomination. The vote tally to confirm John Brennan as CIA director.

John Brennan will take over from CIA’s acting director Mike Morrell.

Former CIA director David Petraeus resigned after news of his extramarital affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell came to light.

WASHINGTON: The US State Department said that it was in Pakistan’s interest to avoid any “sanctionable” activity, while commenting on the Pak-Iran gas pipeline deal on Wednesday.

State Department Acting Spokesperson Patrick Ventrell refused to speculate whether building the pipeline would result in Pakistan being slapped with sanctions, but said that the US recognises Pakistan’s energy requirements.

“We really think there are other long-term solutions to Pakistan’s energy needs, and so we’ve been assisting as a government to contribute to the alleviation of the energy crisis in Pakistan. And so we made it clear to our interlocutors, for instance, that it’s in their best interest to avoid any sanctionable activity,” he said.

Ventrell added that the State Department feels that the US provides a better way to Pakistan to meet its energy needs with the US assistance.

“We contribute to the alleviation of the energy crisis in Pakistan by supporting large-scale energy projects, including one that will add 900 megawatts to the power grid by 2013. That’s going to help supply electricity to an estimated two million Pakistanis. So we do have some bilateral assistance which we think is useful and helpful in that regard,” said the spokesperson.

WASHINGTON: US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives declaring Dr Shakil Afridi a hero.

According to a press statement, the resolution expressed that Dr Afridi is an ‘American hero’ and should be immediately released from Pakistani custody.

The statement said that Americans owe Dr Afridi a debt for helping find former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Congressman Rohrabacher said that Dr Afridi and his family have “paid a terrible price at the hands of our so-called allies – the Pakistani government. We cannot continue to turn our back on Dr Afridi. He risked his life to provide the intel our forces needed to locate and eliminate Osama bin Laden and he now languishes in a Pakistani prison serving a 33-year sentence.

“He has been tortured, his family has been attacked and he is still in a desperate situation. It behooves us as Americans to state in a unified voice to his Pakistani captors, Dr Afridi should be freed.”

The sponsors of the resolution include Representatives Bachmann, Gerlach, Higgins, Hunter, Lummis, Poe, Salmon, Loretta Sanchez and Stockman, the statement added.

Congressman Rohrabacher has previously introduced bills calling for Balochis to be given right of self-determination, and for Dr Afridi to be given the Congressional Gold Medal.

Dr Afridi had been working with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for years before the Bin Laden raid, providing intelligence on militant groups in Pakistan’s tribal region.

He helped the agency hunt down Bin Laden after which he was sentenced to 33 years in prison last year in May for his links to a banned militant group.

Speaking at the Atlantic Council on Tuesday, Rehman said Pakistan’s view on drones is that they breach international law and Pakistan’s sovereignty, as much as they see terrorists breaching it. “We see it (drones) as activating more terrorists than destroying them.”

In her remarks, Rehman said that it was ‘intellectually lazy’ to use metaphors such as marriage and divorce when describing the US-Pakistan relationship. The ambassador said that the relationship between both countries can now be more sober and defined with predictability and trust. “[The year] 2014 is not the end of history for us,” said Rehman, adding that a sustainable US-Pakistan relationship has to be based on trade.

Rehman said that any kind of transition should not pose a greater risk of Afghanistan sinking into economic instability. The Pakistani ambassador said that when Pakistan has schoolgirls like Malala shot by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, who are amassing in Kunar, Pakistan does not lead public opinion by saying that this was deliberate or planned, and expect the same kind of consideration.

Rehman said that while Pakistan does not want to divest itself of responsibility for what happened as the US left Afghanistan after the Soviets pulled out, it has made important strides and learned lessons from its past.

In response to a question about the rights of minorities in Pakistan, the ambassador said that they have to build mechanisms and have already increased seats for minorities in the National Assembly and Senate.

“Most mainstream parties are united in seeking to empower the minorities,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2013.

WASHINGTON: The US State Department on Tuesday designated the Commander Nazir Group and its leader Malang Wazir as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists.”

In a statement, the State Department said the Nazir Group has run training camps for terrorists, dispatched suicide bombers, provided sanctuary for al Qaeda fighters and conducted cross-border operations against the US and its allies in Afghanistan. “In addition to its attacks against international forces in Afghanistan, Nazir group is also responsible for assassinations and intimidation operations against civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said the statement.

Mullah Nazir was killed in a drone strike early this year, and the group has chosen Malang Wazir as part of the top leadership.

The group has also reportedly issued a statement that they would continue to support al Qaeda and attacks in Afghanistan. The group has also claimed responsibility for attacks in Pakistan.

“Malang claimed Nazir group responsibility for a March 2008 vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack in front of an army brigade headquarters in Zari Noor, South Waziristan, Pakistan, which killed five Pakistani soldiers and injured 11 more.  In May 2011, Nazir group broke a ceasefire agreement and attacked a Pakistani army camp in Wana, Pakistan, with missiles and rockets,” said the State Department.

“People like General Kayani were made to pay a price,” said Munter, while speaking at an event at the Atlantic Council in Washington. However, he added that he would have made the same decision again to not inform Pakistan of the raid to ensure it remained secret.

Munter said that while the US has soul searching to do about its counterterrorism policies, Pakistanis in the press, power and military need to stop blaming the US for its perceived failure to fix Pakistan.

“When we killed those 24 soldiers, we obliterated them,” said Munter, referring to the kind of arms used in the Salala airstrike, and referred to the incident as a terrible mistake. “The fact that we were unable to say we were sorry until July literally cost us billions of dollars,” said the former ambassador, saying it showed callousness.

In his remarks, the former ambassador said he hoped the three-on-three meetings, which began in late 2011, still continued, which had representatives from the military, intelligence and civilian side for both countries talking about counter-terrorism policies.

Munter also said the US cannot pursue assistance programs in Pakistan unless there is leadership in the country. “Adding megawatts to the grid is not the solution, reform in the energy sector is the solution through which these megawatts can be used,” he said.

On the subject of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Munter said it was important to remember that Raymond Davis would not have been free had it not been for the ISI, saying that while the ISI was not perfect, it was not the demon it was made out to be at times.

On the subject of drones, Munter said there needs to be a clear understanding of what drones do, and said that he was hopeful that if John Brennan was confirmed as the next CIA chief, he would be able to inform the public on the subject. “Talking about it publicly, in a mature way, and talking about it with Pakistanis in a comprehensive way is going to be helpful.”

In response to a question, Munter said that while he was not confident that Canadian imams or cricketers could resolve all the issues of reforms, but he said he respected Imran Khan for asking questions that others don’t. Munter said that he was skeptical about institutions’ ability to do anything other than perfect their limited access. He added that allegations about a deepening feudal system in Pakistan had some truth to them.

On the subject of Pakistan’s nuclear program, Munter said that while they were a huge concern, the US’ engagement with Pakistan in this area was necessary.

Asked about his biggest disappointment during his tenure, Munter said he felt the people of both countries had ties, and were similar in many ways, but it was battered by policies – failure on Pakistan’s part to enact reforms, and the response of the US to Pakistan’s sensitivities on counterterrorism policies. However, he said he felt there was a basis for a good US-Pakistan relationship in the long-term, but he was worried about getting through the short-term.

Munter stepped down from his post as US ambassador to Pakistan in 2012. He is currently a professor at Columbia Law School and will be teaching at Pomona University in California in the summer.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2013.

WASHINGTON: Recently confirmed US Secretary of State John Kerry called President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday and discussed Pakistan-US relationship.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland in Wednesday’s press briefing said that Kerry, who enjoys longstanding relationships with a number of Pakistani leaders, used the opportunity to “underscore the continuing importance of an effective, strong, and mutually beneficial US-Pakistani relationship.”

Nuland said that Kerry emphasised that Pakistan and the US have many shared interests including fighting terrorism and extremism, supporting democratic civilian institutions and supporting Pakistan’s efforts to increase its economic growth.

The two also discussed the shared interest in regional stability, including a secure and peaceful future for Afghanistan, the spokesperson said.

“He [Kerry] noted our ongoing interest in finding a concrete way to act jointly in support of all of these goals, and he made clear that he looks forward to working with President Zardari going forward.”