Drones were the main focus of separate talks that the US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Marc Grossman, had with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Saturday, according to sources.
Islamabad expressed its concerns over a proposal submitted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to the White House demanding more predators in its fleet, sources told The Express Tribune.
The current number of drones ranges between 30 and 35, and a request has been made to increase this number by as many as 10 more.
The foreign minister was quoted by sources as saying, “Pakistan and the US are already undergoing a complicated phase in their relationship when it comes to drone strikes. Such proposals from US intelligence authorities will further worsen the situation for both countries.”
Khar added that the White House should not immediately act upon the proposal without evaluating ground realities, specifically in Pakistan, where drone strikes are on the rise, as is the collateral damage.
The CIA’s request comes in the wake of an increasing number of reports and statistics that indicate airborne strikes are resulting in mainly civilian casualties.
From the US side, Ambassador Grossman informed the foreign minister that the White House Counterterrorism Security Group has not reached any decision in this regard so far.
Sources privy to the Khar-Grossman meeting also said that the US side voiced its concern over the Taliban attack on Malala Yousafzai and termed it “a sign of increasing militancy in Pakistan” which was taken by the Pakistani officials as another call for a decisive push against militants believed to be hiding in North Waziristan.
According to a statement which defence experts took as a positive sign, Grossman said, “I am not here to pressurise Pakistan on North Waziristan. Pakistan will make its own decisions about what is in its interests.
“Terrorism is the scourge of both our nations and we ought to fight it together. Our mutual goal is a secure, stable, prosperous Afghanistan inside a secure, stable, prosperous region.
“The US – Pakistan (relationship) is multifaceted. It is not just about security - it is about economic ties, civil society dialogue, and people-to-people ties. We should identify shared interests and act on them jointly.”
Concerns over CIA’s request for more predators were also expressed in the meeting between Gen Kayani and Grossman, according to sources. The regional situation, specifically with regard to Afghanistan, was also discussed.
Both Khar and Grossman expressed satisfaction over progress made by the Working Group on the Law Enforcement and Counter Terrorism, which recently met in Washington DC, under the bilateral Strategic Dialogue framework. They also expressed a commitment to work together in support of an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process.
The US envoy will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf today (Sunday) on the second day of his two-day official visit.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2012.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Suspect that is political speak for --- If you ignore our concerns about militants in N Waziristan we have the ability to cut off trade, disclose your duplicitous deals, and isolate you from the rest of the World.
Grossman would not have said, “I am not here to pressurise Pakistan on North Waziristan." but instead "I am not here to pressure Pakistan on North Waziristan." You can pressurize tires, but you pressure people. I'm sure Grossman's statement was modified by an editor not familiar with this subtlety...