ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Armed Forces’ officials have categorically
rejected the US allegations about any Haqqani Network in Pakistan and
ISI’s operations across borders.
Sources informed Online that
while briefing political leaders in the APC (All Parties Conference),
convened by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday over national
security, the ISI chief Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha and other army officials
strongly rejected the US allegations that ISI was exporting terrorism
and all such allegations were baseless and fabricated.
Pasha
also highlighted the numerous sacrifices Pakistan had rendered in its
war against terrorism, regretting that it was still being held
responsible for all baseless and fabricated acts.
He also
categorically denied that Pakistan had ever accepted any foreign
dictation regarding military operations in any area of Pakistan and
informed that seven provinces of Afghanistan were under
control/influence of Haqqani Network, out of which the Haqqani Network
virtually ruled four provinces.
Replying to various questions,
Lt. Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha said that in case of any US incursion in
North Wazirstan, Pakistan Army reserved its right to retaliate, and
said that Pakistan Army had evolved its strategy in event of any attack
by American forces.
The ISI chief, expressed that Pakistan did
not want to go to any extremes in any Pak-USA controversy, while
according to sources, Pakistan Army also expressed reservations over
the current situation of Afghanistan and stressed that ISI had no hand
in the recent murder of former Afghanistan President, Burhan uddin
Rabbani.
Army sources also maintained that as long as
operations against terrorist elements were being carried out in other
parts of Pakistan were not completed, and these areas did not revert to
normalcy, any operation in North Wazirstan was impossible.
It was also informed that despite the fact that America had promised anti-terrorism equipment, it had never been delivered.
Meanwhile
briefing the APC participants, Pakistan’s foreign minister Hina Rabbani
Khar informed that during her American tour, she had put forth the
principled stand of Pakistan in front of entire world community,
highlighting the fact that Pakistan suffered the major brunt of war
against terrorism, but all its sacrifices had been in vain as these
were overwhelmed by mistrust and doubt.
She said that she had
impressed the fact on America that this mutual mistrust and doubt had
to be ended immediately, because things would/could never surge ahead
in circumstances like these; and America would have to play its due
part for a longer lasting peace in the region.
The foreign
minister stressed that Pakistan was playing bits due part with great
responsibility and sagacity, and reiterated Pakistan’s resolve for
maintaining its efforts for reconciliation in/with Afghanistan.
She
rejected the notion that Pakistan’s foreign policy was controlled by
any external source, and also disclosed that reservations of Pakistani
leadership had also been conveyed to American government. Online
