DUBAI: Pakistan's spy chief will call for an end to US drone strikes in its tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and push for a sharing of technology and intelligence during a visit to Washington this week, the country's interior minister said on Monday.
Lieutenant-General Zaheer ul-Islam's visit to meet CIA director General David Petraeus will be his first since he became head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in March and follows a thaw in relations between Pakistan and the United States.
Pakistan, however, continues to insist US drone strikes - which it says are a breach of its sovereignty - must end.
"We will push for no drones. If we (Pakistan and the US) are partners, we should sit together and have a common strategy. However, in this regional war there has been no common strategy against a common enemy," Interior Minister Rehman Malik told a news conference in Dubai.
"I hope the visit of the director of the ISI will have good results. There is some dialogue going on as we speak," he said. The United States has given no sign it is willing to halt the drone strikes.
"Both countries have to find a mid-way," Malik told reporters. "This of course means intelligence-sharing. Also, give us the technology and we will use it. The US has given us F16s. Are we misusing it?" He gave no further details but Pakistan has long asked the United States to provide it with its own drones for use in its tribal areas.
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' Intel ' share. :D
Why not Microsoft? :p
@Oracle (India): dude, for once pay something from your pocket. Atleast do you guys pay for your Burgers / hamburgers in USA ? or do you get some food coupon for that too ?
No that's what indians do here. I say with experienced observation.
@gp65: Ok, Acknowledged, but the change is required, and sooner the better.
@Hegdefunder: "Because there is no shortage of blockheads, who will vote for him in Pakistan"
Factually incorrect. To be fair, Pakistani people have never voted for Rehman Malik. He enters the parliament via the Senate which has indirect elections. Since PPP has enough MNAs and MPAs, it can elect senators. I am not questioning te indirect elections per se. Simply stating that Pakistani awaam has not voted for Malik. The issue is that democracy is still to become mature in Pakistan and the tradition of ministers being forced to resign if they are very incompetent in key ministries has not yet set in. As democracy continues in Pakistan, I am sure these traditions will evolve.
Did I read it right......" Pakistan’s spy chief will call for an end to US drone strikes " Pray, can someone tell me who runs the show in Pakistan ?Is this guy REAL?
I mean - come on - now you WANT Drone technology so you will get it? And if you get it, use against whom? Balochs in Balochistan, Shias in Parachinar or Chitral?
@Iqbal:
" It is like putting Count Dracula in charge of a blood bank."
LOL! Very funny analogy!
How is this guy Malik, still existing in Pakistan politics ?????
I am sure we have the technology; I saw a picture in this esteemed paper months ago of a Pakistani-built drone. It may not be perfect and will probably kill the wrong people but it is there!
We will push for no drones
You could'nt even push your own bike if you had one !!!!!! The useless talk about intel sharing ! Well US has tried this in past and are well aware as to the end result, hence they decided not to share intel in regards to OBL with Pak and they had a successful operation that achieved its objective. So what make Mr Malik, think that US will even entertain him ?
dude, for once pay something from your pocket. Atleast do you guys pay for your Burgers / hamburgers in USA ? or do you get some food coupon for that too ?
Also, give us the technology and we will use it.
Now Pakistan wants technology to hit back on USA.
"We're going to try to con the US into giving us more free things."
"Malik told reporters. “This of course means intelligence-sharing. Also, give us the technology and we will use it...." Does this man honestly believe the US will give the technology to Pakistan? It is like putting Count Dracula in charge of a blood bank. Rehman Malik has become a major embarrassement for Pakistan. He should simply be sacked. If there were some prizes at the Olympics for ignorance then he would win the Gold medal by miles. No wonder he had to revoke British citizenship - he knows he could not live in UK.
“We will push for no drones. If we (Pakistan and the US) are partners, we should sit together and have a common strategy. However, in this regional war there has been no common strategy against a common enemy,”
The minister should first define who the common enemy is. US considers Haqqanis as their enemies but Pakistan leaders have repeatedly said that they do not have the bandwidth to go after Haqqanis who have never attacked Pakistan.
Secondly, "if we are partners" is a big "If". US leadership has come to the conclusion that Pakistan is not a strategic partner but a transactional one who may perform some tasks in return for money (coaliation support funds). If you were truly partners there would not have been any need to reimburse you for your actions. Also US has noted that while Pakistan establishment came down like a ton of bricks on Shakil Afridi who helped the US get to Osama, no attempt has been made to identify the people who allowed Osama to live undetected for so many years in Abbotabad.
There have been enough instances where intelligence shared by US about terrorists has been used by Pakistani establishment to tip their strategic assets off. This is why US has chosen to not rely on Pakistan for dealing with Haqqanis.
Intelligence sharing - tell us what you know about who we are hosting - and where they are!
Misuse a F 16 ??
Mr Minister...how ?