Meeting with US political counsellor: ANP senator seeks US helicopters, fighting gadgets

Haji Adeel says Washington’s military assistance is too meagre to fight war on terror.

ISLAMABAD: The head of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Relations urged the US on Tuesday to increase military assistance to Pakistan in order to help it effectively fight the ‘War on Terror’.

In a meeting with acting US Political Counsellor Rick Waters here at Parliament House, Senator Haji Adeel voiced concern over what he called ‘meagre American military assistance’ for Pakistan to fight militancy.

According to an official statement, Senator Adeel also raised the issue of a lack of fighting gadgets for the Frontier Constabulary (FC). “We need helicopters as well to fight terrorism,” Adeel was quoted as saying in a statement.

He said the US was spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan without the desired results while it was not giving enough funds to Pakistan.

Referring to peace in Afghanistan, the head of the Senate panel said Pakistan and US should continue to work together for peace in the region.

“The reconciliation process should continue for lasting peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he added.

Adeel also took up the issue of cross-border raids from Afghanistan on Pakistani territory.

He told Waters that there were ‘safe havens of militants in Afghanistan’ and US and Nato forces should stop them from acting against Pakistan.

In his remarks, the US official said US considers Pakistan’s role ‘very important’ to attain lasting stability and peace in the region.

Waters condemned the attack on 15-year old peace activist Malala Yousafzai and offered all-out support in this regard.

Senator Adeel informed the US official that such attacks cannot deter Pakistan’s resolve to root out militancy and extremism.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2012.