Politically incorrect: Pakistan summons French, German diplomats

Foreign Office protests over Sarkozy and Merkel's statements denouncing Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday reacted angrily to remarks by the top leaders of two key European countries, in which they accused Islamabad of using terror to extract political mileage.

The strong statements about Pakistan by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy prompted the Foreign Office to summon the German and French envoys to express displeasure.

“The Foreign Office conveyed the government and the people of Pakistan’s disappointment separately to the Ambassador of France and the German Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad over the reported remarks by President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel  relating to Pakistan, following their meeting with the Indian prime minister in New Delhi and Berlin, respectively,” said an official handout.

Merkel reportedly asked Pakistan not to use terror as a means to seek an end to a political problem at a press conference during the recently concluded visit by the Indian prime minister to Berlin.

Separately during a visit to India, French President Sarkozy had accused Pakistan of allowing ‘safe havens’ to extremists in its tribal border areas and said it was ‘unacceptable’ that terror networks could find refuge in Pakistan and use it as a springboard to attack India, French troops in Afghanistan or other countries.

The Foreign Office statement said Pakistan was surprised and disappointed at the remarks by the two leaders.

“Both France and Germany are well aware of the great sacrifices being rendered by Pakistan in the ongoing fight against terrorism. Therefore, incriminating Pakistan in the context of terrorism is unjustified and uncalled for,” it added.

Responding to the demarche, the German charge d’ affaires said the chancellor’s remarks had been misquoted. Chancellor Merkel had outlined the general principles of Germany’s counterterrorism policy and her remarks were not Pakistan-specific, he assured.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2010.