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NATO summit: Zardari meets Clinton, Karzai - 20 May 2012
US does not expect resolution of Nato supply route during Chicago summit
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NATO Summit: It was a very, very successful visit, says Khar
Khar said that no hostile attacks were made on Pakistan during speeches and remarks at the summit.
Khar said that they had good dialogues with every major player in the US administration. PHOTO: AZIZ AHMAD/EXPRESS
CHICAGO: Despite the bad press that has dogged the Pakistani delegation during their trip, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar appeared upbeat and sounded positive about the outcome of the attendance of the Pakistani delegation, headed by President Asif Zardari, at the Nato Summit in Chicago.
Speaking to Express News, Khar said, “When there’s a debate about Afghanistan taking place, in your opinion, should a country like Pakistan, which is a responsible regional player, an important neighbour, and a country that has huge stakes in peace and stability in Afghanistan, not participate?”
Khar said that Pakistan had the highest stakes among the 60 countries that participated in the summit. “The spillover effect of instability in Afghanistan is instantaneous in Pakistan, and if there is stability in Afghanistan, the effect of that in Pakistan too should be instantaneous. I will completely disagree with anyone at all who says that Pakistan should not participate in such a forum.”
She added that Pakistan was an important neighbour of Afghanistan and a responsible regional player.
Khar also took umbrage to how the Nato summit was debated in Pakistan. “The US side, the Nato secretary general and the government said that this was an unconditional invite.”
However, she added, that there was a debate on whether this was conditional, and when we would make an announcement about the re-opening of the Ground Lines of Communication (GLOCs).
“We have proven that we are going to conduct foreign policy in a very transparent manner and that should give people confidence and that we are trying to move forward in a transparent manner.”
“What we need to do is engage with the world, in giving our perspective on what the reality checks are and what the challenges are. For that you need extensive engagement with the rest of the world, and I think Chicago provided an excellent opportunity for that.”
“This is the question for Pakistan – what message do we want to give the world? Are we an enabler, a facilitator, a responsible country on the road that leads to Afghan stability, or do we want to give the message that we are a blocker, a disabler, to the international efforts towards peace and stability. We want to give a very strong message that the Afghan people’s future is important to us, that we would like to enable peace and stability in Afghanistan to the best of our abilities, and we have been doing that at great cost to Pakistan,” she said.
Responding to a question, Khar said that no hostile attacks were made on Pakistan during speeches and remarks at the Nato summit.
On the matter of the GLOCs, Khar said that the Nato partners attach a great deal of importance to the supply routes and “they will, because it makes a difference to them. That’s why we have said this in Pakistan as well, the narrative needs to go into a positive zone [in Pakistan], that the issue of Nato supply routes is not about US-Pakistan relations, it affects relations with 50 odd countries that are part of Nato and are partners.”
Khar highlighted that during Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s interview on CNN, he said that they were working in the “friendliest of environments” that have been possible. She added that Prime Minister Gilani would also be visiting Kabul soon.
US-Pakistan relations
Speaking about relations between the US and Pakistan, Khar said, “We are engaging with them on all issues, nothing is off the table, so we have to move on each of the issues. We have started a useful engagement process, and want to achieve good results for good US-Pakistan bilateral relations, Pakistan’s relations with Nato countries and its relations with Afghanistan.”
On the issue of US-operated drone operation in Pakistan, Khar said that Pakistan’s position remains clear, that they [drones] are “unlawful, illegal and counterproductive”.
“What we need to emphasise even more is how they are counterproductive. Drones are a means to an end, they are there to achieve a certain objective, so if you can achieve those objectives with different tools, which are acceptable to you and me, isn’t that a better tool? So we are trying to look for tools that are mutually acceptable. There is a lot of work that we have done together, and I am fairly optimistic that we can formulate a roadmap to lead to a way where drones are not required in Pakistan.”
Khar said that they had good dialogues with every major player in the US administration that they met on the sidelines of the Nato Summit, and that they has a productive meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
She added that they emphasised the importance of the parliamentary review and were moving forward on the basis of its recommendations.
Khar said that engagement with the US would continue on many levels in Washington and Islamabad. “I’m a bit assured by the fact that I see a commitment on both sides to make it work. I am more confident than I was before that we can make it work.”
The foreign minister said that they were not compromising on Pakistan’s national interests, and unlike what happened in the past, when they would reach a decision, it would be made public.
When asked if it was a mistake by Pakistan to not attend the Bonn conference on Afghanistan in December 2011, after the Salala incident, Khar said, “I will never as a foreign minister choose to disassociate myself with any international discussion. However, at that time Salala was a great national tragedy, and in many ways it was crossing multiple red lines in Pakistan-US relationship.”
She said that Pakistan’s sovereignty must be respected, and there was a consensus that not attending the Bonn conference was a way to send that message to the world.
“I think it was the need of the hour. But that was the need of the hour then, its always an evolving situation.” She said that Pakistan wanted to a closure on the episode and that an apology would help in achieving it.
When asked if they had anything to announce for the future, Khar said that it was a continued engagement process, and that they were in touch on various levels. She added that Pakistan was given the honour of being invited at the conference, and was the only neighbour of Afghanistan that had been invited.
“I think we should take things positively, and not go into conspiracy theory mode thinking that everything is happening against Pakistan, we have to make it ourselves; our first responsibility is to ourselves, and to protect our national interest and then pursue a track that protects it.”
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So actually we were expecting “HOSTILE REMARKS” for what we traveled to Chicago :) , and our SUCCESS is we didn’t get those. What an achievement.
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Which summit did she go to?! Recommend
Participation in this event and all the events like this is vitally important for Pakistan. Khar has a very good impression among common people in Europe. Pakistan need to realize it and use her full potential to present the country in a positive way.
Otherwise, like the comments above, people always seem to have negative and quite narrow view of issues.
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How was it successful? How is Pakistan transparent? Pakistan’s dealings are not even transparent to its own dear Prime Minister and President.
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“US-Pakistan tensions deepen as Obama snubs Zardari at Nato summit”
Obama expresses frustration with Pakistan over its refusal to open up Nato supply routes in protest over US drone attacks.
The above is the heading in The Guardian newspaper in the UK.
Just shows the crooks and liars that make up the government in “the land of the pure”
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We (Indians) wish and hope that there are many many such “very very successful” visits for Pakistan leadership. As good neighbors we are happy for you.
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Sucess!!! We don’t see a single photo of presidents of both the country having a talk together. Is this success?
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Friends and Enemies should be made with lot of care ,If you make bad choice in selection of friend then be prepare for its turning into a worst enemy .
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Yeah right!! Do our leaders think that people are dum when they issue such platitudes? (Although I seriously doubt that they can think)
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@Saleem:
You made a valid point.Here is the link you are referring to.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/21/us-pakistan-tensions-deepen-nato
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PPP leaderships is just on another level. I hope Ms. Khar has some access to foriegn media apart from state run PTV.Recommend
Vienna,May 22,2012
It was a “successful” trilateral “photo summit” on the red
carpet way to the NATO summit.The Foreign Minister is
all happy for the achievement as a single “invitee neighbour”.
The reality is the NATO and the world see it as the “single
problem neighbour” identified to be placed on the spot. All
the good luck madame Prime Minister.
Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India
–Kulamarva Balakrishna
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I don’t get why she used “very, very successful.” If it’s just based in lack of direct conflict, it could be stretched to the limits and get called “successful” if only meant for the Pakistani population to buy it. I don’t know where that “very, very” is coming from. Well, I do have a theory of where it comes from but if the delicate weekend-moderator saw it he might have a stroke. I’ll be sarcastically cryptic. The number two.
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Its regrettable but the US is our enemy and nothing in the world is going to change that. If you want further information on how to handle ‘friends’ check with the Israeli Foreign Ministry. They know what’s good for the Country.
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@A.Khan:
I fully agree with you. The dominant culture in Pakistan is ‘never to be happy’ and denial of the positive aspects and steps that a government takes. We are like up starters, having recently been given space for freedom of speech. Pakistanis think by shouting that the situation in the country is very very bad, circumstances will become better!!!! we walk back not forward and that is our hobby!!!!!! If all those who are unhappy…remember like father like son…..similarly like you(nation) like rulers!!!
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“NATO Summit: It was a very, very successful visit, says Khar”
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She quoted Pres Obama saying that US Pak relations are higher than the Himalayas and deeper than the oceans……..
Ooops did I make a msitake?
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its hard to stay aside from international community , we must make assure that no attack on afghan is conducted from our soil , and we must stop taking any type of aid ,we must stop strategic alliances and talk only about economic alliances .We are too poor to make strategic alliances ,we cant afford them .
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Barack Obama snubs Asif Ali Zardari over NATO supply routes
What a contrast of lies!!!
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asma@london, How about putting your money where your mouth is? Leave London and come back to Pakistan. Everything is wonderful when you are far away.
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Foreign Minister tries to be a good diplomat. In many ways she has to. She must make the impression that she hadn’t given in in handling with the Obama-Administration. Elections in Pakistan take place in less than a year and anti-American resentments are strong among the populace. Yet the civilian government in Islamabad doesn’t want to snub Washington neither.
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Yeah right !!!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/21/us-pakistan-tensions-deepen-nato
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haha sure
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We are earning from what ? killing Afghanistanis ? shame for this earning
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Lol. Come to Bollywood. You will be a better actress. Tired of Katrina.
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Poor lady – maybe she actually believes that – people need to give her benefit of doubt. On a serious note, I wish this government well, however much they may have screwed up on the domestic front, they have worked rather hard within their limited space to improve conditions with India.
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Please read the following article
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-snubs-Zardari-over-Afghan-supply-routes/articleshow/13383095.cms
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The PM felt happy after receiving a sentence from the SC, the President is elated at receiving a cold shoulder at the summit. While the world leaders were intermingling, Pakistani delegation was huddling together to hold “deleberations”. Shameless as they are.
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Not at all. Infact Afghanistan war is an indirect war against Pakistan, which has destroyed the whole ediface of our country. With 50 Thousand deaths not acknowledged by the US, $70 billions loss to excheaquer and destruction of our infrastructure,still we think that this is our war. Infact the ultimate result will be total destruction of Pakistan which is the ultimate aim of US, India and Isreal.
HAS THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS COUNTRY THE VISION TO LOOK IN TO THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY?
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Why blame the poor elected GOP. Everyone knows that Foreign and Security agendas are not in their hands. Hold those responsible who wane it from them.
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alice in wonderland!
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This is the FM we got based on her “credentials” in hospitality management. What did you expect? An instant education on foreign policy, her to mature 20 years overnight and for her to become the next great foreign minister of the world?
Lets be realistic. She is about as good as the people that appointed her. Were she any better she would be running the country, not occupying the seat of FM.
I agree with the sentiment of “was she even at the same summit we saw?”. Recommend
““NATO Summit: It was a very, very successful visit, says Khar””
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Pls pay attention to her words. The success was in the visit ( shopping, sight seeing, parties etc). There is no reference to the Pakistani Participation in the summit!.
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@Syed Imran
When you have close contact with the militants that are being hunted, you provide them with intelligence and harbor the most wanted murderer on the planet in your own country then IT BECOMES YOUR WAR because you are the only one that doesn’t want to stop it and are trying to play a game of duplicity in a conflict between economic interest and ideology. If the Americans started the war by saving you from the Russians in the 70′s but leaving too soon, you perpetuated the war by using these fundo’s to try and establish regional dominance over Afghanistan. That strategy failed. That is the truth and nothing but the truth.
Man up and admit that Pakistan has failed to identify which side of the fence it is on and is trying to act smart in a game where everyone else knows they are frauds. It is not the worlds fault that the civilian government is disconnected from the military or the ISI. All of them are part of Pakistan it is PAKISTAN’s problem to sort them out. Not make pathetic excuses about how one arm doesn’t know what the other is doing. That is the excuse of a child.
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enjoy it – who knows when worst comes……..
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Acting and happy like as Grade one student, when willingly or unwillingly teacher forget to point out student who haven’t done his/her homework. What a success for Pakistan? Big cheers…..fools
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What successful meeting is she talking about ….President Obama refused to meet with Zardari and gave his time slot to Karzai instead ?…Ms Khar needs to get a grip on things …
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So is the Pres and his team back in Pakistan after this very very successful visit or they are still in US trying to garner some more success in US?
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THE UK PM FLEW IN AND OUT TO CHICAGO BY COMMERCIAL FLIGHT
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And the Pakistani Team?
I hate when the Brits show off austerity and embarrass the leaders from the third world.
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This reminds me of an old joke popular in the Indian subcontinent about a patient being operated on and after the surgery the doctor says the operation was successful but the patient is dead. How was this summit successful for Pakistan? Pray tell.
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The Obama administration knows this very well that attacking Pakistan will be WW – 3 , Either they are serious to settle all the issues or they are just trying to destroy Pakistan by different tactics .
The bottom line is make our Economy strong , making economy strong will make PAK Army strong enough to respond aggression of any alliance .
By making wrong alliances we got 50K casualties,destroyed economy and a very bad name in World .
Please People we must wake up and do our own analysis .
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It was a sensible thing for pakistan’s rulers to attend the Chicago summit
though they knew for sure they will return with empty hand and will not
receive the due attention from USA and NATO chief.The lady FM’s comments
are for domestic consumptions only.Alas Bilawal zardari had advised her
Instead of Obama to be courageous and admit the ground reality.
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“”"”Barack Obama snubs Asif Ali Zardari over NATO supply routes”"”
Well this is not a cheesy indian movie. he llooked that way and she looked that way !!!!!
POLITICS and future decisions require much cooled heads !!!!!!!!
I am NO fan of Zardari and team….BUT I think they endure the pressure and arm twisting well … Off course Obama is NOT HAPPY as he and many USA leaders are used to PAKISTANI POLITICIANS, cleaning their shoes in the past, on ONE call !!!!!!!!!!
We don’t need to fight all the world BUT we should do WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR COUNTRY & INTEREST !!!!!!!!!!!!
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“http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15967826,00.html”
Well, there is a clear-cut position that Pakistan is not going to continue any business with the United States or NATO, for that matter, until they offer an apology. And that was clear in the statement given by President Zardari in Chicago. On the face of it, this is the situation and people are buying it. If Zardari has given any commitment, he is not in a position to fulfil it. The reaction is otherwise very calm, no US flags are being burnt. There was a fear that Pakistan may succumb to US pressure, but this NATO summit has proven that Pakistan can withstand the pressure. The foreign minister also said that Pakistan would seek an apology and then look further.
Recently USA increased visa fees for India / Pakistan visitors to 300% more of the prior fees.
Nobody objected as it is USA’s right to do that ( Even it is painful for the Asian Visitors) !!! Every country has the right to increase their fees….SO I DO NOT UNDERSTAND…Why PAKISTAN could not have the right to charge FEES ,as much as they want and what ever amount they want to charge !!!!!!!!!!!! SO NO MORE DOUBLE STANDARDS !!!!!!!
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@anwar: how did you conclude that Us is our enemy after recieving billions of dollars from them? Are we US’s friend and if not what we expect of them
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Pakistan holds the trump card in the end game in Afghanistan, and the outcome of the current dispute depends on how well Pakistani leaders plays their cards.
Pakistan has the longest border with Afghanistan and wields more influence there than any other country. It also provides the nearest seaport to Kabul. That is the fundamental reason why the U.S. has provided more than $20 billion to the country over the past decade, much of it to ensure supply logistics to US troops. “If we want to be successful in Afghanistan,” as General James L. Jones Jr., former National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, said in recent congressional testimony, “the roads to that success have a lot to do with Pakistan.” Given these ground realities, the sooner the US apologizes to Pakistan for the Nov 26 incident to try and restore ties, the better it will be to achieve an end to the longest war in US history.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2011/12/us-military-supply-logistics-in.html
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@Riaz Haq
Pakistani leaders will do what USA tells them to do, that is what Pakistan has been doing since its inception.Recommend
Zalmai: “Pakistani leaders will do what USA tells them to do, that is what Pakistan has been doing since its inception”
Not true! Do you remember successive Pakistani governments’ consistent refusal to sign NPT and subsequent decision to develop and test nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles in defiance of intense US pressure?
http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/05/us-worries-about-loose-wmds-in-pakistan.html
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@Riaz Haq:
and yet u were humiliated on world stage by obama…if you were so important how come obama did not even acknoledge ur president and why is your president returning with no agreement on fees for nato routes..??? looks like blackmailing isnt working..
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Yes, yes. It was very successful. Every Pakistani should claim his dus percent as a great success in the exam.Recommend
@rk: “and yet u were humiliated on world stage by obama..”
To the contrary, it reflected badly on Obama himself as a host with little grace, and he still didn’t get what he has hoped for.
He who laughs last laughs best.
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According to The Guardian of May 21 “Obama refused to make time during the two-day summit to see the Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari for a face-to-face bilateral meeting”. Please note the words “refuse to make time”. Now this does not even sound welcome let alone successful and completely forget about very very successful. Recommend
Recent interviews indicate that Sherry Rehman should have been the Foreign minister from day one.
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you don’t post anything, you call yourself press. what a joke
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That is rather difficult to believe.
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That is difficult to believe.
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Yes, it was a very very very very and more very pleasure trip. Thank you for nothing.
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@FF:
Manning ups is not Pakistan does. Lying and deception is what Pakistan does. After that, wants respect and apology in the international fora.
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@Pakistani:
Oh boy! You have grandiose view of yourselves, dont you. World War 3? No one will even care. Are you betting on China coming to Pakistan’s rescue? Don’t, will not happen. US will ban Chinese exports followed by the Western Nations and Chinese economy goes pooof!
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@Skin Taj:
Here is reality check for you, US and Nato holds all the trump cards starting with aid, foreign investment, voting majority in IMF and World bank, etc., etc.
Realistically, who has got the trump cards?
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@Pakistani:
You need people on your side for it to turn into WW3. That’s how it’s a “world war” the world takes sides and clashes with each other. The world against Pakistan isn’t a war, it’s a slaughter.
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@Riaz Haq:
The only ones thinking it reflects badly on Obama are you and a few others, who are most likely Pakistani as you have a habit of turning someone spitting in your face into a hug and submission using your imagination for 99% of your world interaction. Go look at other opinions outside Pakistani run sites. You’ll see you’re isolated on that opinion too.
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@Riaz Haq: “akistan holds the trump card in the end game in Afghanistan, and the outcome of the current dispute depends on how well Pakistani leaders plays their cards.
Pakistan has the longest border with Afghanistan and wields more influence there than any other country. It also provides the nearest seaport to Kabul”
Have you considered the fact that if Balochistan becomes a free country then everything you just said would be true about Balochistan?
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@Hella:
That is all that you can say. Is it a sin to live abroad? Or living abroad prohibits one to comment about issues concerning one’s country!!!! Grow up:(
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It is so surprising how most of the above commentators blindly believe foreign newspapers no matter what they say as long as they write against our government. Pathetic.
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The FM must have picked up some expensive handbags from Chicago. Add the fact that Mr. Z. did not get his backside kicked all the way back to Islamabad, then yes, I guess it was successful summit.
I wonder what it would take for it be called a failure.
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@ayesha: “Have you considered the fact that if Balochistan becomes a free country then everything you just said would be true about Balochistan?”
Balochistan is not Bangladesh but you can keep dreaming.
While you are dreaming, I suggest that you should worry about your native India disintegrating from some of the world’s fiercest separatist insurgencies raging in northeast, northwest and central India.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/08/chinese-strategist-argues-for-indias.html
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Ms Khar, this summit might have been very successful for you but not for your President, however that is none of your fault. Nevertheless, I would like to complement you that since you took over as Pak FM, Indo-Pak relations are on the upswing.
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@ImranCon: “The only ones thinking it reflects badly on Obama are you and a few other..”
Yes, only the civilized among us think it’s bad behavior for a host to snub invited guests.
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this must be the best joke of the year.
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It looks like the lady is referring to her very very successful shopping sessions in Gucci, Saks, Tiffany’s, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale etc. high-end high fashion stores.
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@Pakistani:
and how can we make it sure when even single incident havent been investigated thouroghly…..
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