ISLAMABAD:
The effort to ensure that diplomacy and calmer heads prevail at a time of fragile relations between Pakistan and the United States is on. However, the effort notwithstanding, Islamabad has made it clear to Washington that, if it comes down to it, Pakistan will be forced to retaliate if American forces attempt to launch a unilateral strike on the country’s tribal belt.
The message was personally delivered by Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) Chief Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief General David Petraeus during his recent trip to Washington, said an official familiar with the development.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that Pasha had informed his counterpart that the Pakistani people will not tolerate any US misadventure and in that case the government will be left with no other option but to retaliate.
Senior ISI members, the official said, had felt ‘betrayed’ by the blunt assessment of the US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen that the spy agency had links with the Afghan Taliban-allied Haqqani network. In a stinging remark, Mullen accused ISI of supporting one of the most feared Afghan insurgent groups to target US forces stationed in Afghanistan.
(Read: The political economy of confrontation)
But, in a closed-door meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence on Tuesday, a senior ISI official said that the US was simply attempting to make Pakistan the ‘scapegoat’ to cover up its failures in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Sore wounds from the May 2 US raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden were also reopened in the meeting when a lawmaker, quoting an ISI official, told the parliamentary panel that Pakistan will not tolerate any unilateral strike on its soil by US forces to target the alleged safe havens of the Haqqani network.
“We cannot be caught off guard this time,” the official told lawmakers, referring to the raid that embarrassed the country’s powerful security establishment about its ignorance of the world’s most wanted man’s whereabouts. “This time, we will give them a surprise if they (Americans) dare,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, committee chair Lt General (retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi confirmed that lawmakers had voiced serious concern over threats emanating from Washington. Qazi, who also served as ISI chief in the 90s, insisted that Pakistan had the capability to give a ‘befitting response’ to any attempts by the US to invade the tribal areas.
Meetings continue
A frenzy of meetings continued, meanwhile, in Islamabad. US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter is reported to have met Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, for the second time in 24 hours, and later Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.
The president also met Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani Zardari to discuss the situation.
A statement released by the media office of the President House said that the two leaders also discussed the all parties conference scheduled for September 29.
Reposing confidence in the ability of the democratic leadership to stand united at all times that call for unity, the president expressed hope that the country’s political leadership will be able to reach a consensus, the statement said.
Over in Washington, US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman phoned the Pakistan Envoy to the US Hussain Haqqani in a bid to cool down the heated diplomatic state between the two countries.
Grossman said that the US and Pakistan were united on a wide range of issues, even though they differed over the Haqqani network.
We are funding the enemy: US congressman
Back in Washington, American congressmen were presented with an anti-Pakistan bill called the “Pakistan Accountability Act”, introduced by Congressman Ted Poe from Texas who is an outspoken critic of Pakistan.
“This legislation will freeze all US aid to Pakistan with the exception of funds that are designated to help secure nuclear weapons,” says a transcript available on the Congressman’s website.
Citing Mullen’s statement on Pakistan supporting the Haqqani network, Poe said that, “Since the discovery of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan has proven to be disloyal, deceptive and a danger to the US. This so-called ally continues to take billions in US aid, while at the same time supports militants who attack us. The US must immediately freeze all aid to Pakistan. Pakistan has made it painfully obvious that they will continue their policy of duplicity and deceit by pretending to be our ally while simultaneously promoting violent extremism. By continuing to provide aid to Pakistan, we are funding the enemy, endangering Americans and undermining our efforts in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister, in an interview with Reuters, also struck a defiant tone – clearly warning the US on Tuesday to stop accusing it of playing a double game with militants.
“The negative messaging, naturally that is disturbing my people,” Gilani said. “If there is messaging that is not appropriate to our friendship, then naturally it is extremely difficult to convince my public. Therefore they should be sending positive messages.”
He implied that the US’ recent ratcheting up of pressure on Pakistan reflected frustration with the war in Afghanistan. “Certainly they expected more results from Afghanistan, which they have not been able to achieve as yet,” he said. “They have not achieved what they visualized.”
(With additional reporting by Huma Imtiaz in Washington)
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2011.
COMMENTS (76)
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Pakistan and America are now at cross road. now both of them will reap what they had sowed in the so-called Cold War. America was at that time very happily supporting the Mujahiddin now what we call them Taliban. they will do no more than to criticised each other. I would like to give the Obama administration a suggestion that if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. And please don't blame others for your failure in Afghanistan....
why does America not take action against haqani network in afghanistan,quit blaming pakistan for everything ,infact US has failed in afghanistan .you people talk about US aid ,pakistan lost 50 billion dollar in this so called war on terror, 35000 pakistani died in last 10 year,5000 pak Soldiers died.you people still accusing pakistan to support terrorists when they are targeting our army and civilians,how could we support terrorists when they are targeting for soldiers,try to understand this simple thing...talibans still have control over 50% of aghanistan,it ur failure.. US is simply attempting to make Pakistan the ‘scapegoat’ to cover up its failures in neighbouring Afghanistan. we don't want ur aid.. Pakistani people will not tolerate any US misadventure and in that case the government will be left with no other option but to retaliate
@ Ayesha
Even your own media and human rights organisations are saying that these are the thousands of 'disappeared' kashmiris who have been tortured and killed. You can fool some people sometime but can not fool all people all the time. By the way, if all is hunky dory in Kashmir what is 700,000 strong army doing there, your army can only rape women and kill unarmed teenagers... If you want them to do something constructive, send them to Afghanistan and fight haqqanis. Lets see if they are worth the salt...
I fully support the leadership if they take a stand for sovereignty of the country. Once thing can't be helped but noticed that the military, intelligence and the political leaders increasingly refer to the Pakistani public when responding to US rhetoric and pressure being built up. In this article, the example of General Pasha and PM Gilani can be cited as examples. With US pressure building up, they may have momentarily realized the saying that "the real power lies with the people." Sadly, this realization does not sink down enough to sever the dependency of Pakistan.
we hope pakistan will against US bravely.
This is the beginning of World War III
The insurgents are winning and time has passed now to clean them out. They are digging deeper for local sympathies. The locals have lost their houses, land, innocent family members they got nothing to lose anymore to be afraid to side with the insurgents. If U.S. leave now they have a last chance to save from further humiliation both in lives and economy. May be Osama planned this long time ago to lure U.S into the region. And don't worry about Indian comments they will take U.S. down along with them after the Nukes will be flying all over the place.
@BruteForce:We are neighbors u can not change geography but can try to positively influence the future .
Pakistani taking on the US Militarily.... is that a Joke, One Battle Group Commander has more technology and fire power on his disposal than all of Muslim countries combined military strength....... This is no time for grand standing if you walk out of this....
@Bangash:
its not afraid of them. it has no reason to fight them when they are not fighting the army. what sort of gibberish are you speaking?!
China wants US to get into war with Pakistan, China will indirectly help Pakistan and thereby economically destroy US first. In this process, Pakistan will also get perished which is not a matter of concern for China at the end of the day !!
@Bangash:
You think, with what? Means whole lote coming from a country that cannot protect its own naval base from attackers, remember the Karachi Naval Base earlier this year?
You must thaink the rest of the world are fools, no follishness entirely belongs to you. Your caountry cannot protect attacks against its own cantonements, military bases and its troops and you think you are going to stand up against F16 Raptors and drones!
If the US wanted to attack you, US would have done it, and there is nothing you could have done or do.
Drum beating war hysteria is what you are good at and nothing else.
@jagjit sidhoo: Castro took on US troops and defeated them. He has been cocking a snook at US power for decades. 'General' Adeed of Somalia defeated the US troops in his country. And General Giap overhauled the American military despite all odds in Vietnam.
USA is very well armed but can be guaranteed to behave like a paper tiger as the great Mao Zedong had asserted ages ago. Pakistan can do the same almost effortlessly!!
Sultan Geelani
@msn: really??? Did not you hear about mass grave ? 2000 + terrorists found in unmarked graves. At least Indian army has decency of burying people in graves rather than mutilating bodies and throwing them across our fence. Please read about Kargil and what our esteemed army did to one of their pilot whose plane crashed on our side. Nobody wants to hear truth and that's more and more true about us Pakistanis.
The Pakistan government needs to make a call on this. Either we are allied with the US, accept its money and provide it with the support it requires or we are allied with the Haqqani's, Taliban and the like and will support them and create more lawlessness and chaos for our country. There is always the third route; no allegiance to the US or the Taliban and no expectation of any aid whatsoever.
At the end of the day this double game will lead us no where and will lead to Pakistan's demise. Zia-ul-Haq's strategic depth theory has not worked. A nation with multiple problems of its own should not be thinking of empire building by looking across its borders, but should focus on what is within.
@ MOhan Ram : May be it is, but Ghaznavi's comment is nevertheless valid,mature and thought-provoking.
@jagjit sidhoo:
Because the whole World will be against Pakistan then. India would not want to look like an outsider. Besides, what will India gain by not telling the truth- that Pakistanis have been harboring anti-India, anti-Free-World Terrorists? Pakistani Army will not stop hating India. Its the Army's Raison d'être.
Lets see how things pan out. If Pakistan seems to be genuinely extending a hand of Friendship we'll do the same. Anyways, India's sanctions cant hurt Pakistan much, as its importing very little from Pakistan.
@Ghaznavi:
I can demolish your absurd numbers and claims very quickly. But, I wont. The thought that India is doing badly is making you take it easy on Pakistan. I will let that happen.
Anyway, what I am saying is already happening. IMF refused to extend the 11 Billion package. I wonder why.
Pakistan has reserves which will get over in a matter of weeks. Lets see how you will buy those fancy weapons that you are so proud of. Bhutto said Pakistanis will eat grass, but they will get a Nuke. He had no idea how true that will be one day. Eh?
@Maoist: "The unmarked graves of thousands of innocent Kashmiris – this is true face of INDIAN democracy…"
Well Pakistan did not send these terrorists to India with their ID cards, so unfortunately those graves could not be marked. But unlike in Karachi, people's heads and other body parts were not chopped of.
@ Mohan ram
Exactly my point, when you point one finger at Pakistan - you point 3 fingers to yourself. India and Indians have no right to lecture Pakistan when they themselves have poor track record. You better clean your own mess and stop poking your nose in ours.
@ Arindom
The unmarked graves of thousands of innocent Kashmiris - this is true face of INDIAN democracy...
@atique: thank God at least we have you, of over 6 billion people in the world, only you understand and know the full story.
@Arindom: I think you need to do some homework about how powerful these insurgents in Pakistan and Afghanistan are.
Most comments here are like beating about the bush.No one seems to understand and know the full story, which is very complicated.Sadly US know no other way except the use of brute force.I am sure US will learn from Afghanistan misadventure.Situation in Pak/Afgh will continue to deteriorate until the withdrawal of US forces. Years ago billions of dollars were pledged for the reconstruction and improvements in Afghanistan, had this been done situation might be a little bit better today.
@Ghaznavi:
Is this not the pot calling the kettle black
The Pakistani envoy to the USA is Hussain HAQQANI- Perhaps the USA are considering this as the Haqqani network! It may be a misunderstanding on the part of USA :)
Pakistan's last full fledged war resulted in breaking up of the country in to two.
If it fights a war with USA, it'll suffer a worser fate than that. USA doesn't fight and leave a country to its fate. Almost every country it fought a war with were left in ruin. While Pakistan can threaten to strike India with Nuclear weapon, it can't do so with USA, while USA can wipe out Pakistan if it attempts such an action.
The bottomline - Pakistan has to figure a way to get control of its own country, instead of saying 'gurrr' to a longstanding benefactor. Path of non-action on Haqqani, LeT etc. will only mean, Pakistan will be ruined sooner or later, with assistance from various countries who are aggrieved by such actions.
@from india: Exactly...................... Look this is our neighborhood. It impacts us all. The "power" will do whatever is in its interest to make money from both of us. Dont believe me? They are teh biggest puppet masters and their " karinda" are everywhere to carry out whatever is needed. By that i am certainly not sidelining other real issues that exist.
If it is not their lives, it dont matter to them brother/Sisters.
Most of the comments are unwarranted and unjustifiable. They appear to be more like football fans backing their teams. Matters of statecraft are not discussed like this in media as has been done both by US and Pakistan leadership. This show their inability to handle the problems of their level. USA and Pakistan both had been in this war together for a decade. They are both part of solution and problem. It is not a must that every act of the allies will be converging. They have to accept some divergence and work on common ground. Canadian have withdrawn their forces from Afghanistan and is not part of the ISAF. Pakistan may exercise such right and move out due to its precarious economic and security conditions and it has the right to do so. How can some one force a country to fight for them.
@arindom
India used air raids in Nagaland in the 60's. However, it has been India's policy to use as little force as possible to fight internal insurgency.
@BruteForce: Why should India side with USA.
@msn: 30000 civilians dead thats how successful they are.
The reply of Pakistan reminds me of my childhood friend. He once said while we were in school. I dont mind even if you even kill me. but i will see that i will atleast break your one hand. Pakistan is in same mental state.
what a shame american can't control the taliban. very strange they call themselves superpower
PAKISTAN + CHINA = TOUGH FOR US !! ...hope INDIA is not dragged into this ...as we have to do a lot on our economy than getting into this mess !!
"You dont have troops to take on the terrorists but can take on USA . Hard to understand this strategy."
When you have nukes, you don't need troops.
@Lee P: Wow .you guys are cutting/pasting from all over in E.T. Remember Vietnam......................(times 3)
@John B: This time it is wont be like Abbottabad. Americans will definitely regret any misadventure. They will be made to pay a heavy price. Let USA attack Pakistan and that will begin the end of so called super power. Do not forget the fate of USSR which was so close to Afghanistan.
Forget Afganistan and Iraq. This is Pakisan!!!
The genius "ThinkTank" that guides Pakistan's future has concluded that Pakistan has a better chance of winning a war against the US than the Haqqani group !!! No wonder Pakistan is in the shape that it is in right now. They really do have the brightest people on the planet running the nation.
Pakistan, for the US, is only another friend with benefit. They have betrayed our friendship before, and today stands another accusation coming our way. US-Pak relations have for long been like bikering between an old married couple, and they will figure this out, hopefully. Nonetheless, the big upside to this debacle is, the unity between our leadership, Kudos!
This is called digging own grave, & i think we pakistani
s are really good at that. We dont know how well sustain if sanctions are imposed against us. or how we`ll manage with out aid or restrictions from IMF.@Bangash: This is not gibberish. Think my dear, think. Salams.
I am sure it takes good guts to say No to US, and Pakistan seems to have got that...
But this gut is not married with wise thought. US can take you to the next century, but Haqqanis / afghan will take to you 16th Century.
Which one Pakistan wants?
Neither you were there nor I was there. This type of sensitive news at this juncture may be counter productive. Please rely on official news and do not add fuel to fire. You are not talking about making eggs but war.
And now they are calling us "so-called ally", " AAP SE TUM HUYE PHIR TU KA UNWAN HOGAYE".As long as a nation has decisions hanging over the head it is weighed down and misses further opportunities. our major cause of failure, miseries and tension is inability to make a clear-cut decision.i think the world turn aside to let any man pass who who knows where he is going. Better spit on their Dollar Holler, and regain the dignity, and self respect.
In case of an all out war Pakistan cannot sustain US attack. One has nit forgotten the surrender of 90000 men in Dhaka
I am excited. US for once us taking the right stance
Pakistan should be made the scape goat for the failure of Western forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan has suffers and continues to suffer the most not only because of our role in ousting the Soviets from Afghanistan but because of the abandonment of these fighters when the Cold War ended. I am pleased to see Pakistan's military and political leaders speaking in unison for once. The US should work to understand the real situation and not try to score election points for domestic consumption.
Mullen has already said that PAK is retaliating. So no surprise here.
PAK is going to dominate the upcoming presidential elections in the US on foreign policy issue and no one is going to side with PAK.
Obama is likely to win the re-election as republican candidates field does not look good.
If the republicans win the election, PAK will be saying obama administration as saints.
Any misadventure from PAK in the mean time, PAK is north Korea for sure, without firing a single shot from the US.
It took less than an hour for US to get in and out of Abbottabad. God knows how many dry runs were performed into Pak before that.
Soft approach has been a failure. I had predicted it 10 years ago. The carrot and stick policy lies in ruins with all carrots eaten. The viable option is stick and a bigger stick.
You dont have troops to take on the terrorists but can take on USA . Hard to understand this strategy .
The most important is the fact that pakistan has the capabilities to retaliate. Us known it very well
Pakistan is afraid of striking the Haqqani network but it will retaliate against the US ?! What sort of gibberish is this ?
US should concentrate on state sponsored terrorism like that by the Indians in Kashmir. Just see the link below for a another proof: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15082365