Malik says CIA created Haqqani network

Minister says militant group likely operating from Afghanistan.


Umer Nangiana September 26, 2011
Malik says CIA created Haqqani network

ISLAMABAD: In the continuing war of words between Islamabad and Washington, Interior Minister Rehman Malik once again denied that the Haqqani network was operating from Pakistani soil.

In a tersely-worded rejoinder, Malik  said that the Haqqanis were created and trained by the US’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and may well be based in Afghanistan.

“Let us be pragmatic. If you (US) have any information on the Haqqani network’s presence in Pakistan, share it with us and we will cooperate as we have been cooperating in the past,” said Malik while talking to the media on Sunday.

He said Pakistan had no links with the Haqqani network or any other terrorist group. However, it was a fact that the CIA had produced and trained the Haqqanis and other Mujahideen during the Afghan war, when Pakistan supported them, he added.

“But that was then. Now, Pakistan has no links with Haqqani network which is not based here,” said the minister. “They were sons of the Afghan soil and they were based there as well,” he added.

Elaborating on how Pakistan needed moral support in the fight against terrorism, Malik said “Consider us a part of the solution, not the problem”.

However, his denial of the presence of the Haqqanis on Pakistani soil was contradicted by the militant network itself, which recently warned Washington against any military adventure in North Waziristan’s territory.

Rehman Malik’s heated defense, however, included an explanation of how security at the Pak-Afghan border had been enhanced.

The interior minister also added that security agencies had intercepted and foiled a terrorist plan to target parliamentarians in parliament lodges and to take them as hostages.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th,  2011.

COMMENTS (26)

Babar F. | 13 years ago | Reply

Based on responses & reports anyone can be convinced how important it is for a country like Pakistan to be self sustained and stable__ politically and economically. We have no choice but if we want peaceful resolution we must go out of the way to make friend with even hostile neighbors and get them in confidence. In-order to achieve that we must eliminate corruption and improve law & order, safety & security for all. All countries need economic promise and freedom to trade and commerce for their sustenance. War or war-like attitude is not going to get you anywhere but into North Korea-like isolation from the world except of-course China.

Safdar | 13 years ago | Reply

Yes the Americans says that Haqani Group is dangrous for U.S.A and they do military action against haqani group, now please give me answer same as Israel is dangrous for muslim world why we donot do military operation in israel.

If the kiling of inocent peoples is terorisim then yes haqani and talibans are terorist but from second world war up to know U.S.A killed 0.5 million inocent peoples in the world and also use atomic bombs in japan they are crual state terorism

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