North Waziristan operation: US makes no ‘demands’ from Pakistan, says Hoagland

US chargé d’affaires meets Nawaz in Lahore, discusses drone strikes.

LAHORE:

US Chargé d’affaires in Pakistan, Richard Hoagland, commenting on the reports of a joint military operation in North Waziristan Agency, clarified on Wednesday that the US cannot, nor does it, make any demands from Pakistan.

“We can make strong requests, we can give advice, we can seek cooperation, but we cannot make a demand from a sovereign nation,” Hoagland, who is also the acting US ambassador, told Express News in an exclusive interview.

“When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton [during her last visit to Pakistan] said that we would like to see Pakistan ‘squeeze’ the Haqqani network [in North Waziristan], there is a real fine distinction that it’s not a demand,” he stressed.

Recent reports of a joint Pak-US military operation in North Waziristan had caused panic among the locals who fled the area by the thousands.

Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani too has denied reports of a joint military operation but maintained that an offensive might be launched when necessary.

Hoagland also took a tour of Lahore on Wednesday, and met with Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif at the party chief’s residence in Raiwind.

Nawaz said that drone strikes are violating the sovereignty of Pakistan which the US needs to respect. He further said that both sides should try to understand ground realities and requirements of each other, according to a press release.

Nawaz Sharif also stressed the need for an early and mutually satisfactory resolution of the Dr Aafia Siddiqi case.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Opposition Leader in the Senate Ishaq Dar and US Consul General in Lahore Nina Fite were also present at the occasion.

In an effort to further strengthen ties with Pakistani youth, Ambassador Hoagland hosted a discussion with young Lahoris who are active on social media.  He fielded questions on US-Pakistan relations, how social media impacts politics, and asked the participants about the role of youth in the upcoming Pakistani elections. The discussion was featured on Twitter with the hash tag #PakYouthAmb.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2012.