Pentagon boss all praise for Pakistan’s counterterror ops

Gen Raheel meets Defence Secretary Ashton Carter, CIA chief John Brennan

ISLAMABAD:

While appreciating Pakistan’s sacrifices in the global war against terrorism, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter has acknowledged that the effects of Pakistan’s successful counterterrorism operations are opening up opportunities for regional peace.

Pakistan’s military launched a massive operation, codenamed Zarb-e-Azb, in mid-July, last year, against homegrown and foreign terrorists holed up in North Waziristan Agency. The operation was followed up with another terror purge in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency in October that year.



“The United States will play its part and fully support any effort of Pakistan in fighting [the twin menaces of] terrorism and extremism in any way,” Secretary Carter said in a meeting with army chief Gen Raheel Sharif at the Pentagon. “We will continue to operate in a coordinated manner against this global menace.”

According to the chief military spokesperson Lt Gen Lt Gen Asim Salim Bajwa, who is accompanying the army chief, issues like Pakistan-US defence relations and regional security were discussed at the Pentagon meeting.



Gen Raheel, who is on a five-day official tour in the US, highlighted Pakistan’s perspective of regional challenges. He reiterated that backed by a national consensus and support of the whole nation, Pakistan was committed to eliminating terrorism and extremism from its soil for good.



Secretary Ashton underlined the ‘strategic importance’ of Pakistan-US relations with shared history. He emphasised that the United States values Pakistan and looks at its relations with Islamabad independently of all other countries.

Hours earlier, Gen Raheel met with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief John Brennan at the agency’s headquarters in Langley where they discussed the prospects of reviving the stalled talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Pakistan has conveyed to the United States that it will facilitate another round of Afghan peace talks only if Kabul gives a firm assurance that it will not sabotage the process, sources revealed to The Express Tribune.

Pakistan committed to eliminate terrorism from soil, army chief tells US

“Regional security challenges and the way forward was discussed,” Lt Gen Bajwa said in a series of tweets on microblogging site Twitter. The army chief also discussed permanent stability and requirement of conducive environment in the region for reinitiating an Afghan owned and Afghan led reconciliation process.

Pakistan had brokered the first direct talks between Afghan government and the Taliban in July this year. However, the second round of the fledgling peace process was called off at the eleventh hour after Afghan officials leaked the news of the death of longtime Afghan supreme leader Mullah Muhammad Omar.

Sources familiar with the discussions told The Express Tribune that given the current trust-deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is not the right time for reviving the peace process. They said Pakistan believes certain elements within Afghan administration are against a political settlement of the long running conflict in Afghanistan because of their vested interests.

General Raheel Sharif in Washington: Déjà Vu all over again

A day earlier army chief General Raheel Sharif met with his American counterpart General Mark A. Milley at the Pentagon and discussed steps taken against terrorism, hurdles to peace in the region and India’s belligerent attitude.

Gen Raheel briefed Gen Milley about progress in Operation Zarb-e-Azb and the steps taken to eradicate terrorism in the region. He also detailed efforts taken to maintain peace in the region and highlighted the hurdles they were facing. Gen Raheel is also scheduled to meet US Vice President Joe Biden.

This is the second time Gen Raheel is visiting the US this year and his trip comes just a month after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Washington where he met with US President Barack Obama. The US State Department has reportedly said they were grateful that Gen Raheel was visiting the United States for consultations on bilateral issues.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2015.