ISLAMABAD: Prime Minster Yousaf Raza Gilani warned Washington on Tuesday that continued accusations of playing a double game in the war on militancy only risked fanning anti-Americanism in Pakistan.
Gilani, speaking in an interview with Reuters, also said any unilateral military action by the United States to hunt down militants of the Haqqani network inside Pakistan would be a violation of his country's sovereignty.
Relations between Washington and Islamabad have deteriorated sharply following last week's blunt allegations by the US joint chiefs of staff that Pakistan's military intelligence agency was linked to militants who carried out a Sept 13 attack on the US embassy in Kabul.
"The negative messaging, naturally that is disturbing my people," Gilani said in the interview.
"If there is messaging that is not appropriate to our friendship, then naturally it is extremely difficult to convince my public. Therefore they should be sending positive messages."
Although Pakistan officially abandoned support for the Taliban after the Sept 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 and allied itself with Washington's "war on terror", analysts say elements of the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) refused to make the doctrinal shift.
In his stunning testimony last week, outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen bluntly described the Haqqani network, the most violent and effective faction among Taliban militants in Afghanistan, as a "veritable arm" of the ISI.
It was the most serious allegation levelled by Washington against Pakistan since 2001, and the first time it had held Islamabad responsible for an attack against the United States.
Asked how Islamabad would respond if there was a unilateral military operation by the United States inside Pakistan to go after the Haqqanis, Gilani responded: "We are a sovereign country. How can they come and raid in our country?"
He said Pakistan had conveyed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that such unilateral action "will not be acceptable to Pakistan".
COMMENTS (33)
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Very well said John!! Why do I always feel in all these forums that all world talks one language.. or has more or less similar line of thinking but not Pakistanis... why so increasingly isolated and confrontationist.
@Truth-seeker:
"What about the lossses of Pakistan on so called USA war on terror whcih pakistan lost about USD 75 billion so far. "
No one believes these cooked up dollar numbers quoted by Pakistan.
@John B:
What about the lossses of Pakistan on so called USA war on terror whcih pakistan lost about USD 75 billion so far.
@Asad: History is witness, neither China,nor America will come to rescue Pakistan.Never.What help did China do to Pakistan in 1971, saving East Pakistan and giving military help to the Pak army is known to everyone.What technical problem caused and stopped the "SEVENTH FLEET" in the bay of Bengal coming to save East Pakistan, and Pak army is also a harry Potter story to child brains living in delusional world. It's only the people's power of a country that defend a country, if they know what a self respect is and how to live elegantly with neighbors keeping head high.Only a neighbor can save Pakistan if all the fake and soaked in hatred issues are thrown to the sea or buried deep not to dig and fish out again.
@ John B
How can Pakistan trust USA in this war when there is a history of US abandoning Pakistan after PAK successfully helped US in driving Russia out of Afghanistan in 80's. It was Pakistan who had to bear the aftermath of war in Afghanistan alone after US left. Now that US is asking Pakistan to take action against the militants in NWA against the few dollars in the name of war expenses, how is it justified that the ISAF forces with all those multi billion dollar expenses and all those latest weapons technology have not been able to defeat the militants in Afghanistan. They can't even protect their own strategic sites (for instance the embassy) from these militants and expect Pakistan to fight these militants who seem to be a bigger super power than the US.
As for the aid that we get from US; US might just be covering the war expenses and additionally giving aid for the flood or earthquake victims, but it is the loss economic activity that couldn't be generated in our country because of the poor law and order condition (the main cause of which is the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan's active participation in it), the burden of Afghan refugees on Pakistan's economy and the list goes on, this opportunity cost is never accounted for in any aid program and the cost in billions of dollars.
One of your persons or rather a spy (Raymond Davis) shoots down two innocent Pakistani citizens on the streets of Lahore in front of a crowd and we let him go unharmed, is it not enough for a positive message to US, tell me honestly, can we expect the same from US?
US started its war on terror when you lost almost 2,700 lives in the 911 attacks (even these attacks are a mystery and many people in US itself believe it to be staged), but Pakistan has paid by more than 35,000 civilian lives by supporting US in its war against terror, and the military's loss of life is in addition. I don't even want to do the maths here, coz we just don't do maths with human lives.
@Mirza: I generally agree with what you write but I disagree that Pakistanis hate the US because the aid went to junta's pockets. If that's the case then the hatred should have been directed towards the junta who misappropriated the aid and not the US. The real reason is the extreme radicalization of our society which is displayed as hatred towards the US. If they distribute $500 to each Pakistani, they will still hate them as much but keep the money. That's the reality whether welike it or not.
@ Delhi Belly
“Pot calling the kettle black”…..please clean up your own backyard first and then talk about us being prejudiced, propagandist and illiterate. We Pakistanis are the nation of survivors, no matter what we’ll pass through these difficult times but will never surrender. What makes you think that we are frustrated from quality of life, look around you; I strongly believe that we live much batter life than any average Indian, we don’t discriminate our fellow countrymen based on their cast, color or religion, talking about media, I must say that we cannot win from Indian media when it comes to spewing venom against Pakistan. We Pakistanis do not hate India or Indians; it’s a self-made despondency by Indians from last 65 years. As far as Pak-China friendship is concerned, I don’t care about your perception because Pak-China friendship is an anchor of peace and stability in this part of the world as there is no friendship like ours, true and strong and this relationship will be strengthened in the years ahead.
@Shafaaqat: When Muslims in Afghanistan were treated subhuman by Taliban, it did not bother PAK , or when the Taliban ran the terror Inc., it did not bother PAK? Is it because people in London, NY, Madrid, Delhi, Mumbai, Bali are not Muslims, so it is okay?
Get real and come to this earth where I also live.
@Khan: I agree with regard to the collective operations from NATO and PAK. That is what US is pushing with PAK but PAK establishment( army) is not in favor- I think it has to do with the money rather than man power issue.
If PAK interior minister says," Haqqani's are sons of soil", how much cooperation can US expect from PAK gov?
More drones in NWA is certain, and more protests and terror attacks against PAK by PAK based franchise group is also certain.
@Shafaaqat: "Just mark my words." Hillarious! Why not save your words for your own country? Screws are tightening around you and you are asking us to mark your words! What good are they?
@Aamir: please don't belive establishment propaganda - if not, at least dissect numbers - out of the much touted 35,000 killed in Pakistan - 21000 were terrorists...
@Aamir: As much as I would like to see US Govt spending the tax payer money wisely, I would be the last person to speak against giving aid to PAK. Entire international aid money is less than 2% of US annual budget and I would be happy to pay two additional cents in my taxes. If PAK gov is swindling the aid money from her public, then it is up to the PAK people to question their establishment.
There are several countries around the world who used the aid wisely to build their country for the prosperity of the people. Although while it is not a direct policy to attach aid money in quid pro quo basis, antagonism to the donor in every front will not help either.
Currently US aid is going directly to small scale funding at the root level in PAK, and hopefully this will help.
The war effort costs are reimbursed as accounted by the respective departments of each country. Unfortunately, PAK establishments are not telling the truth to the PAK public regrading their spending. Rather they are successful in including the PAK life lost by sectarian and domestic terrorism to war in Afghanistan and gullible public with their anti- US fervor believes them.
Stopping aid is the easy part and in the present political climate the resolution in US will pass unanimously. Then how will I eat my meal peacefully when I see children in PAK go hungry or do not go to school because they have to work to earn the money for a meal?
Yes, PAK also suffers from the war across the border, but PAK has to face her internal problems of sectarian and local Taliban terrorists, rather than supporting them even if PAK people have to eat grass. We all know how it went, when PAK decided to eat grass once upon a time. Does PAK people know how much it costs to develop and maintain her "prized" possession? The entire PAK could have been crisscrossed with irrigation canals with that money.
PAK has abundant natural resources, including water that will make Baluchistan an oasis. Poor mismanagent, frivolous spending on the things that she cannot afford, adventureism into war which she cannot sustain, neglect on her human resources capital for two generations, lack of stake in her own destiny, spending spree on useless monuments for the sake of pride are her curse, not the aid, whether it is from UN or US.
Will I still give money to PAK cause? Yes. I am not going to become poor by giving away my two cents, but PAK can become rich with that, if spent wisely. It is not your obligation to offer me a hand when I needed help but I won't like it when you spend one cent of my donation to set my house on fire!
Ask your PM or Kayani how the aid was spent.
@John B: Bragging about a bit of aid are we? Forgot that Pakistan's sacrifices are priceless. We helped defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan and end the Cold War while the West supported all of the current crop of criminals and terrorists, including the Haqqanis. Think about the trillions the US saved by having Pakistan do its work to defeat the Soviets. We were given next to nothing and we are still playing the price. These terror groups are mostly run by Arabs who were brought in to fight the Soviets and now we are somehow responsible? Give it a rest and be genuine about wanting to help Pakistan. And yes we do worry about terrorism coming in from Afghanistan into Pakistan. If you are serious about helping us, help us build a big wall on the Af Pak border to keep out illegals the way the US has done on the border with Mexico.
Name me a sovereign country where an another country flies an un-manned plane (i.e.), whenever it wants (one just yesterday) and bombs its civilians whenever they want. Or a sovereign country where a foreign country flies couple of chopper deep inside its territory, that to in middle of their "military fortress" city (i.e. Abottabad), hangs out for an hours, kills its target and goes back unharmed. While the sultan rahis of the kakul, all they do is empy boast on tele.
@CommonSense: no one is inviting Pakistan to take care of Taliban in Afghanistan. they are just expect you to act in your own country i.e. Pakistan. or else let them do the job ....CommonSense
We require government to cutt off all kind of relaitons with Washington and let their Embassedors go back to their country,
@John B 99% Pakistanis would reject the American $. We don't need $, we want this bloodshed to be stopped. Only muslims are being killed and thats not acceptable. No wonder, America is suffering and it will keep suffering for years to come untill its economy is destroyed. Just mark my words.
@Aamir: All prejudices, propaganda and no true knowledge is what has kept Pakistan and it's people in the dark. Their daily frustration from quality of life to being isolated in world theater is only fueling it's anger against the image it's politician and media is creating. It is very easy to start thumping your chest. Gives you sense of false pride , but nevertheless it gives u pride and it is free. Unfortunately for Pakistanis who has been chronically fooled by it's army since past 65 yrs they have started ignoring all rationale and blindly following what it's army does or say. It's hatred towards India has lead the youth's mind to self destruction. Right now most of the Pakistani have false sense of security under China's umbrella. But China will remove all it's support on a single snap of USA and EU cause in the end Chinese always side with trade and money and Pakistan has limitations on providing both. Please be realistic of this fact and don't see it through a prism that a desi is suggesting this to you. More unstable Pakistan means more possibility of radicalization of it's youth which is certainly more scary situation for India than Pakistan's nuke. Peace!
As against allegations that ISI has contacts with Haqqani Network fighting NATO forces in Afghanistan, RAW has contacts with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighting Pakistani state in Swat, South Waziristan and elsewhere in the tribal region. RAW is many steps ahead of ISI in this respect. It is fanning and fuelling insurgency in Balochistan and FATA and is funding and actually equipping TTP and Baloch insurgents. Some target-killers arrested in recent Karachi unrest confessed to have received training from RAW. No wonder, some call Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as Tehreek-e-RAWliban Pakistan. Some pundits argue that Haqqani network, based in North Waziristan, has never attacked an official target in Pakistan - further evidence of its collusive relationship with that country's security services. When their struggle is focused on fighting foreign occupation forces and their collaborators including India, why should they insist the network attack Pakistan which has no role in Kabul? By this flawed logic, TTP fighting Pakistan and having killed 35000 civilians and 3000 security personnel provide collusive relationship with RAW and CIA. And mind you, this fight is taking place right inside Pakistan. By all definitions, TTP and Baloch insurgency is proxy war being fought by RAW inside Pakistan. Major objectives of this proxy war are keeping Pakistan away from Afghanistan to give India decisive role in Kabul, keeping China away from Gwadar-China energy corridor and depriving Pakistan from natural resources of Afghanistan. Read more at: http://pksecurity.blogspot.com/2011/09/pakistan-bashing-prelude-to-deliver.html
Today Iran and Turkey announced a joint operation against Kurdish guerillas afflicting both countries - in Iraq. Is that a violation of Iraq's sovereignty? No, and neither is going against terror groups in Pakistan. This is because, under the post-9/11 U.N. Security Council Resolutions (especially 1373) countries have the sovereign obligation to root out terrorists, terror groups, and terror having from their territory. Where no effective action to do so has been taken there is no sovereignty.
@John B: What you said is correct but aid has never been successful .. We should have trade instead or at least all of aid should be inform of off shore employment. Also It is not realistic or fair to push Pakistan to launch an operation in NWA when across the border provinces are under Taliban control where these guys move back and forth on daily basis. Shouldn't NATO & US first launch an operation to bring those provinces under its control and then push Pakistan for launching an operation too. If Pakistan does start an operation those guys will just move across the border to those Afghan provinces and while US troops are withdrawing, will create havoc in our cities while remaining few thousand NATO troops confine themselves their bases in Kabul and watch from distance. We must get rid of these people but it has to be collective effort from all stake holders.
@Asad: I hope you are being sarcastic
@John B
Explain to me why guys like you keep bragging about the aid money????? Don’t you realize that Pakistan is the biggest victim of so called war on terror, more than 35000 innocent people have been killed in Pakistan and on economic front we have lost seventy billions $ against twenty billions $ aid money (do the math).
Tell your congress to stop the aid because USAID is nothing but a curse for my country.
Now that China has given its backing, the PM gets fearless of USA!! The US will never attack Pakistan, if China is solidly behind Pakistan. China has been a great friend and a protective elder brother to Pakistan! Time to enter into a closer relationship with China, Iran and Saudi Arabia. (even though Saudi and Iran do not get along well, Pakistan can balance both relationships)
What about Positive Messaging from pakistan?
If Pakistan is a sovereign county, then why does it claim inability to take action against terror groups within its soil? Why does it keep asking the world to understand 'ground reality' - a euphemism for Pakistan's inability to stand up to the large Taliban forces?
Pakistan needs to make up its mind to be a modern, law abiding nation, where the monopoly of coercive powers will have to rest with the Govt. It can't continue to have multitude of people running with their own agenda, attacking other countries, while Pakistan govt. claims innocence under the garb of "Non State Actors". Why does it allow NSA to exist?
If Pakistan can't take care of these militia, the world will. If a person chooses to have a swamp in his property that breeds mosquitoes, he can't claim ownership as a defence when the menace troubles the whole neighborhood!! The Neighbors will clean out the swamp.
"Asked how Islamabad would respond if there was a unilateral military operation by the United States inside Pakistan to go after the Haqqanis, Gilani responded: “We are a sovereign country. How can they come and raid in our country?”
Clever Answer! What
s he going to say? On record, it has been said Pakistan doesn
t have any forces/resources to go after militants in North Waziristan. So how will Gilani say Pakistan will go after US? & for now, drone attacks will continue.So Finally something good from our political side.... errrrrrr isn't??? Since 9/11 this is what i would say Not just the nails biting reaction from our side!! Ask US, Is digging into what you have lost is Better than a good mutual relationship... We really don't have those MEN whom you will just shop into Global Markets!! Get a life dude (America)!!
$300 million for flood ravaged Sindh schools, besides other USAID assistance and humanitarian assistances during annual flood are not enough positive messages?
Special trading privileges with US at the expense of other poor countries are not a positive message?
Saving the ailing PAK economy in international bond market is not a positive message?
Leave the KL bill here.
Pride and Prejudice should conform to the reality.