Haqqani network CIA’s blue-eyed boy for years: Khar

FM hits back at US, denies ISI involvement, says Pak must not be tested.


September 27, 2011

NEW YORK: In a forceful response to US allegations, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said that the Haqqani network had been the Central Intelligence Agency’s “blue-eyed boy” for years.

During an interview with Al Jazeera television network, Khar rejected US allegations against the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), saying that it had no link with the Haqqanis.

“If we’re talking about links, I am sure the CIA also has links with many terrorist organisations around the world, by which we mean intelligence links,” she said. “And this particular network, which [the US] continues to talk about, is a network which was the blue-eyed boy of the CIA itself for many years.”

When asked specifically about Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen’s statement that the Haqqani group “acts as a veritable arm” of the ISI, Khar said, “It is something that goes very, very unappreciated on our side. This is unsubstantiated. No evidence has been shared with us.” Partners and allies, she said, do not talk to each other through public statements.

Khar said that Pakistan had taken up the matter with the US, but the spate of hostile statements coming from senior US officials meant that Washington had taken a policy decision. If this is the case, she said, Pakistan has the right to make its own decision.

Khar emphasised that Islamabad wanted to remain an ally of Washington, but simultaneously qualified her statement. “I just hope that we’ll be given a chance to cooperate with each other and doors will remain open – because statements like these are pretty much close to shutting those doors,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th,  2011.

COMMENTS (63)

wise counsel. | 12 years ago | Reply

What about Pakistan?It was the green eyed girl!!of U.S Seems both blue eyes and green eyes have turned out to be the biggest mistakes the U.S EVER MADE.It should have chosen brown eyed India and it would have been better off.None the less, its never too late.

Muhammad Ahsan Khan | 12 years ago | Reply

."Taliban given birth by US was a problem for them",

It is strange that the responsibility of the creation of of Taliban is put only on US. It is totally ignored that there were three partners, US, Saoudi Arabia (SA), and Pakistan (Zia-ul-Haq). The money was supplied by US and SA. The technology also came from US. But the Army (Taliban) was mainly the responsibility of Pakistan (Zia). The local logistic support was mostly furnished by Pakistan. Indeed there were some Arab and Muslims from other Muslim countries were also on the side of Taliban but Pakistani Muslims were (and are) the most fervent Taliban.

It is a very partial attitude of the commentators to blame the US for are ills and keep the other two (SA and Pakistan) Islamic countries out of the Taliban affair,

Are they trying to save the good name of Islam??

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