US has unrealistic expectations with Pakistan on Taliban talks: Ex-ISI chief

Former ISI chief says Pakistan “can’t deliver anybody” to the negotiating table.


Web Desk September 19, 2012

The former chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Ehsanul Haq said that the US has “unrealistic expectations” with Pakistan to bring Taliban leader Mullah Omar to peace talks, reported Business Week on Wednesday.

During a brief interview in Washington, Haq said that while Pakistan fully supports Afghan peace talks, it “can’t deliver anybody” to the negotiating table, the report stated.

Haq also advised the US to advance the “political track” with the Taliban in the time left before the US withdraws forces from Afghanistan, and added that the US should do whatever it can to revive the Qatar process and make good on pledges over a prisoner swap.

Connections with Taliban, Haqqani network

Rubbishing claims about the Taliban and Haqqani network having ties with Pakistani security forces, Haq told Business Week that Pakistan’s security forces conducted several raids on religious schools and homes of Haqqani network’s founder in Miramshah between 2002 and 2004.

“He was not there; he was in Paktia, Paktika,” Haq was quoted as he referred to two province in the neighbouring Afghanistan.

Blacklisting Haqqanis

On US’ latest move to blacklist the Haqqani network as a “foreign terrorist organisation”, Haq maintained that if it had to be done, “it should have been done seven, eight, 10 years back”.

He said that declaring groups “terrorists” when you are on a “political track” may prove to be counterproductive to peace talks.

The negotiation “process will have to be pursued more seriously with a sense of urgency even if the prospects for a successful outcome seem remote at present,” Haq was quoted.

 

 

COMMENTS (18)

Abu Zulfiqar | 11 years ago | Reply

@gp65:

military gear that were not labelled excess defence articles were paid wholly by Govt. of Pakistan....and that includes upgrades to P3 Orions, and upgrades to USS McKirney (OHP class frigates)

you americans always assume that we just took freebies from USA without even saying "ThankYou"

truth be told, the war is unpopular in Pakistan as is it in USA....If USA thinks they can change Afghan culture or nation-build through bombs and building bases, they are sadly mistaken

this is all a ruse, just to control the Silk Route as well as have listening posts against Iran and China. If you think otherwise, you're sadly naiive.

Sexton Blake | 11 years ago | Reply

@Enlightened: Dear Enlightened, BruteForce,

Wasn't destabilization of South Asia and the Middle-East part of the CIA's plan 20 years ago when they started arming and training various groups such as the Haqqani. It has been a clever ploy really. Train various groups to repel the Russians and call them heroes. When they do the same thing to US invaders call them terrorists and blame Pakistan for the problem. They US are doing the same thing in other areas, but I think we should stick with South-Asia for now. Why doesn't America do everybody a favour and get out of South-Asia. That way, everybody in the West will forget the Haqqani ever existed, if any American knows about them now, and they will completely forget terms such Al Qaede, Jihad and Mujahideen.ever existed in 3 months.

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