- RSS
- Today's Paper
- Subscribe
- beta 2.1
Alerts
‘US military trainers allowed, but not drones’: Report
Senior Pakistani official tells Fox News that drones can never return to Pakistan.
Senior Pakistani official tells Fox News that drone strikes can never return to Pakistan.
CIA’s biggest weapon in attacking militant hideouts in Pakistan’s tribal areas – drones – “can never return”, a senior Pakistani official told Fox News on Friday.
“They will never be allowed back, at Shamsi or anywhere else,” the official told Fox News on condition of anonymity. However, he added, that the US military trainers will be invited back into the country “as early as April or May” to assist the Pakistani forces in fighting against the militants.
The report also said that Pakistan will reopen Torkham and Chaman border crossings into Afghanistan to resume the Nato supplies that were earlier stopped after the November 26 Nato strike on the Salala checkpost.
“After this is presented to the Americans, a lot could happen very quickly,” the official told Fox News.
The Pak-US relationship suffered massive lows during the past year after several incidents, including the May 2 Abbottabad raid and the Raymond Davis saga, took place. Pakistan responded aggressively to the US by closing down supply routes to Nato troops in Afghanistan and closing down the Shamsi airbase that was being used for the drone attacks.
Earlier this week, Pakistan refused US special envoy Marc Grossman’s visit to the country saying that it was not prepared yet and is still reviewing its policy regarding its relationship with the US.
Pentagon spokesman Capt John Kirby told Fox News, “We understand the government of Pakistan is still working on its review of US-Pakistan relations, and we have not yet received a formal report from the government… Decisions about the level of Pakistani commitment to our military relationship are obviously theirs to make, and we respect that.”
Spokesperson US State Department Victoria Nuland, in a press briefing on Friday, also expressed that the US was not hurt by Pakistan not letting Grossman visit, rather it is willing to give space to the country’s parliament to review the relationship.
Read more:
droneattack
, uspakrift
Reader Comments (28)
Pakistan Latest Stories
Case closed: Cases against Zardari cannot be reopened
Law ministry to look into reports that letter argued against opening the Swiss cases.
Senseless violence: Suicide attack at Mardan funeral kills 27
Independent MPA Imran Khan Mohmand among the dead; nearly 60 injured.
Restricted mobility: ‘Reopen Pak-Afghan border’
Tribesmen say they cannot participate in family functions across the divide.
Generating employment: Govt approval sought to set up industrial zone in Bara
Former parliamentarian says China has agreed to fund the project.
Cultural exchange: Students to tour Turkey
Turkish consul general, Murat M Onart, visits Greenwich University.
K-P budget aims to make Peshawar a model city
Several new projects announced along with expediting work on ongoing schemes.
Marginalised?: Minorities worried about efficacy of allocated funds
Say promises made earlier were never honoured, money siphoned off.
Cell phones seized from Karachi jail prisoners destroyed
Prison administration seizes as many as five hundred cell phones and drugs from inmates.
Protecting lives: SHC seeks record of targeted killings
Sindh High Court directs the Sindh police’s law officer to appear before the judges on June 28.
Fiscal year 2013-2014: UoP approves budget, 40 new teaching posts to be created
The UoP will also generate Rs700 million from its own resources over the next year.
Recent Slideshows
More in Pakistan
US committed to ‘mutually respectful’ ties with Pakistan
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or derived from.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyrighted © 2013 The Express Tribune News Network.
Technical feedback? [email protected]
No matter what Pakistani establishment says, the Drones would continue and so would NATO supplies. The recent Drone strikes are a living proof of that. Does it matter where the Drones come from as long as they get the job done?
Recommend
SO if they are not getting air bases inside Pakistan are they still going to use drones from Afghanistan?
And I am kinda confused because I heard ansar abasi saying on a TV show that the US will crumble within one week after Pakistan stops the supply line. How come they haven’t crumbled yet?
Recommend
Sorry to bust your bubble but they already have started sir… they don’t need your permission for drones anyways. Please be honest to your own people as you are to others!Recommend
give it 3 weeks and once again US drones will strike targets whilst the air force sits idle
Recommend
Senior Pakistani Military Sb..No Drones, s o what will you say about recent drones in past 2 weeks ???
Recommend
“They will never be allowed back, at Shamsi or anywhere else,”
Seems like he was referring to them being stationed inside Pak.
Recommend
Winter vacations are soon over :D
Recommend
US has lost every war against militants. If anything, the Pakistan army has has much better record against these militants. So what are the trainers coming for? What is it the the govt. has to allow “few-a thousand” trainers that are difficult to throw out and roam about here and there killing people.
Recommend
@alicia: because everything is already planned, I guess!
Recommend
not a good news for Liberals
Recommend
@alicia:ansar abasi graduated from ‘Zaid Hamid School of Brass Taacks’
Recommend
This does not make any difference,drones fly from Afghanistan or any Pakistani
air base, the only solution is that on violation of our air space they should be shot
down as any other country would do in this situation and as Iran did recently.
Recommend
@alicia:
Bagram airbase in Afghanistan can be used. Also try not to listen to Ansar Abbasi
Recommend
Pakistanis are more intelligent than Americans.
Why not Pakistanis train Americans as how to come out of its present crises.
Our Army is more stronger than US.
God save Pakistan.
Recommend
Really funny ! What a spectacle !!
Recommend
What a shame we are allowing US trainers knowing full well what they will do Raimand Davis is one example .
Recommend
So no drones but many Raymond Davis would be in streets.
Recommend
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui:
You sir, are an intellectual giant among mere larvae, such as myself. We eagerly await the moment when you demonstrate to the world that the Pakistan Army is, as you say, ‘more stronger’ than the US. Eagerly, sir, eagerly.Recommend
what’s the point of not allowing the drones back to shamsi if they are still able to operate from outside and kill our innocent people?
Recommend
Why not send a bunch of Pakistan military officers for getting the required training from the United States. In turn, upon their return they can train others in need of training?
Recommend
Does it makes a difference, The drones strike into Pakistan should not be allowed, which the Govt. cannot stop nor can they stop the supply to Afghanistan through Pakistan, who are these people trying g to kid. Perhaps Zardari/ kayani and their band of merry men
should take a lesson from the Iranians.
Recommend
I heard ansar abasi saying on a TV show that the US will crumble within one week after Pakistan stops the supply line. How come they haven’t crumbled yet
That is very interesting observation. There used to be many articles how the route through Pakistan is crucial. I hope ET publishes some expert analysis about how Americans are managing their supplies even when Pakistan has closed the route.
Recommend
So, essentially he says all things are as usual as before. What did I say , by March supply routes will be open.
Military trainers are bonus, to my surprise. Drones, no body knows where they are coming from!
Recommend
Too many articles contradicting each other – one day the NATO supply line is going to be re-opened the next day it’s up to the Parliament – and now it’s going to be re-opened again.
Recommend
Why are the Americans so calm? Are they confident that the outcome in Pakistan, in one way or the other shall tilt in the US’ favour or are they already managing the outcome in concert with the power-brokers in Pakistan? Somehow, I am unable to absorb that the events and circumstances in the aftermath of Raymond Davis, May 2 and Silala Incident have overtaken the US Policy makers with respect to Pak-Afghan imbroglio. Remember the bigger picture-US focus shifted-ing towards Asia-Pacific, China, India, Extremist threat, danger of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, CARs, warm-waters, etc, etc, etc …………………………………………………….
Recommend
The boots are back!!
Recommend
@MAHER ALI:
These drones knocked out Hakimullah Masood, for your information. Any objections to that?
Recommend
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui:
Wow, so you say that
“Pakistanis are more intelligent than Americans.
Why not Pakistanis train Americans as how to come out of its present crises.Recommend