Diplomatic row: Islamabad rejects Washington’s accusations, summons envoy

Defense Department report alleges use of proxies against Kabul, New Delhi

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Foreign office on Wednesday summoned the US Ambassador to lodge a protest over a recent report by the US Department of Defence in which Pakistan has been accused of using militant groups as proxies against neighboring India and Afghanistan.

“The Government of Pakistan takes serious exception to comments contained in the US Department of Defence report sent to the Congress under the title ‘Progress Towards Security and Stability in Afghanistan,” said a statement issued here by the foreign ministry.

The Pentagon report which was released just ahead of Army Chief General Raheel Sharif’s visit to Washington claims that Afghan and Indian focused militants continue to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of regional stability.

“Pakistan uses these proxy forces to hedge against the loss of influence in Afghanistan and to counter India’s superior military,” the report added.

However, the foreign office strongly dismissed the report and insisted that it carried “unsubstantiated allegations” of the existence of terrorist sanctuaries and the operation of proxy forces against Afghanistan and India.

“Pakistan’s protest over these unwarranted comments was conveyed by the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz to US Ambassador Richard Olson at the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday,” the foreign ministry statement said.

The statement said such allegations were of particular concern at this point when Pakistan government had launched a comprehensive operation against militants in North Waziristan.

“The military operation Zarb-e-Azb has been welcomed internationally, including in the US The operation has successfully eliminated terrorist hideouts and is directed against all militants, without any distinction. We therefore hope that the issues will be seen in their correct perspective,” it said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2014.