Karachi, Nov 02: US secretary of State Hillary Clinton has gone back after completing her visit to Pakistan with the mission to win the hearts of Pakistanis but pressurised the Government to take on Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups beyond South Waziristan for eliminating terrorism.
“With initial campaign in Swat and now in South Waziristan finished, I think the Pakistani military would have to go on to root out other terrorist groups or else they could come back to threaten Pakistan,” Ms Clinton said.
We are going to do everything we can speak directly to the people of Pakistan. I am specifically visited to Pakistan to reverse some of those misperceptions said Ms Clinton.
On her last day of the visit Clinton said that the US and Pakistan had mistrust about the location of Al-Qaeda’s presence. She also said that US cannot see innocent people being murdered at the hands of terrorist.
FATA parliamentarian showed reservations on drone attacks in their meeting with the US Secretary of State.
Ms Clinton expressed her resolve to stand by Pakistan in rooting out the menace of terrorism and secure future of the country. She said this during her visit to Police Line Headquarters to pay tributes to the martyred personnel of Islamabad police who sacrificed their lives
Ms Clinton had stirred controversy when she said at a meeting with journalists on Thursday that Pakistan lacked seriousness in pursuing Al Qaeda. “I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and could not get them if they really wanted to.”
However, Ms Clinton, on her trip consciously stayed away from saying anything that could undermine the purpose of the trip, did not relent after the statement and in numerous media interviews tried to impress on the Pakistani leadership that Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups were as big a threat to Pakistan as were the local Taliban.
“Our best information is that Al Qaeda leadership is somewhere in Pakistan. It is in the interest of Pakistan and US that we capture or kill Al Qaeda leadership because that will give a very serious blow to terrorists everywhere. Let us work in that direction said Ms Clinton.
“I understand priority for Pakistan will be focussing on those that are attacking you. That has to be your priority. But Al Qaeda is in league with those attacking Pakistan.”
Highlighting the link between Al Qaeda, Pakistani Taliban and other terror groups, she said: “The extremist and terrorist groups are part of syndicate of terror and Al Qaeda is head of that syndicate.”
Ms Clinton placed a lot of emphasis on this issue during her three-hour meeting with Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI Director General Lt-Gen Shuja Pasha on Thursday night.
There are apprehensions in Washington that the Pakistan military is going after only those who threaten its own security while ignoring those who launch attacks in Afghanistan.
As a means for resolving such contentious issues, towards the end of her trip on Friday, Ms Clinton proposed creation of “more open relationship between governments and people of America and Pakistan” and underlined the need for “honesty in relationship” between Washington and Islamabad.
Ms Clinton compounded the confusion over the presence of the US private security firm Blackwater Services in Pakistan by saying that some of their personnel might be having diplomatic immunity, but most of them didn’t.
“I understand the sensitivity of the issue, but I want to be clear why we have any contractors, well because we get dozens and dozens of threats every month directed towards our diplomats and public officials who are here for diplomatic activity”.
“Our diplomats don’t carry arms, but on the other hand if they have to get out they need security.”
She said the US was working with Pakistan to chalk out a mechanism for providing security to diplomats and officials assigned to Pakistan.
The issue of private security contractors echoed at her meeting with lawmakers in parliament, where former information minister Sherry Rehman warned her that if the issue was not resolved, it could compromise the very democracy the US was seeking to support.
Ms Clinton clarified that the security company was not above the law of land and asked Ambassador Patterson to look into the issue and address concerns.
During her meeting with leaders from the NWFP and Fata, the secretary of state underscored American support for humanitarian and livelihood assistance, education, media and communications for people living in areas of conflict.
“And we want to encourage everyone, not just the Pakistan government or the military but Pakistani citizens to realise the connection between Al Qaeda and these Taliban extremists who are threatening Pakistan. They are part of a syndicate of terror.”
She had underestimated the level of anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, Ms Clinton said: “No, because I’ve been following the research and the polling that’s gone on for a couple of years.
I knew that we were inheriting a pretty negative situation that we were going to have to address.”
Trust “is a two-way street,” she added. “I just want to keep putting on the table that we have some concerns as well. And I think that’s the kind of relationship I’m looking to build here.”
“We certainly have a common enemy in extremism and terrorism, and so part of what I have been doing is answering every single charge, every question.”
That’s why I wanted three days in the country, “a long trip for a secretary of state,” she said.
“I wanted to demonstrate that, look; we are not coming here claiming that everything we’ve done is perfect.
“I’ve admitted to mistakes by our country going back in time, but I’ve also reminded people that we’ve been partners and allies from the beginning of Pakistan’s inception as a country.
“Pakistan has helped us on several important occasions, and we are very grateful for that. So let’s begin to clear the air here.”
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