Islamabad: Giving a sugarcoated doze, US on Friday made it clear to
Pakistan that there was no choice but to yield towards implementation of
the American policy for the region.
On a mission to repair ties
with Pakistan ruptured by allegations of complicity and threats of
unilateral action, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton conveyed
to Pakistani leadership ‘a saturated level of American patience.’
According
to sources privy to her two-day meetings in Islamabad, Clinton has told
Pakistani leadership that both US, and Pakistan had no choice but to
work, visibly, towards ending the menace of terrorism. “And that too at
the earliest,” the sources added.
Even during her joint press
conference with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Clinton pressed upon
Pakistan in so many words to dismantle Taliban safe havens. Responding
to Pakistani slogan of “give peace a chance,” Clinton said her country
had already given peace a chance.
Answering a question about
Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani’s statement she
said, I totally agreed with him in saying “Pakistan is not Iraq or
Afghanistan, but it is a sovereign nation. It has a comprehensive agenda
of engagement with rest of the world. And we are with Pakistan to
support its agenda of engagement.”
Referring to her meetings,
she said, “we have in-depth discussion and underlined the urgency to
deal with issues we need to address at length.” “We respect Pakistan’s
sovereignty, and sympathize with it over the loss of life and to its
economy,” she said. But Pakistan side, she emphasized, need to
understand joint responsibility having relations with US based on mutual
respect.
That is why, she said, stopping terrorism is in the
interest of both Islamabad and Washington. “Coalition and Afghan forces
are increasing the pressure on the Taliban in Afghanistan,” Hillary
said. “And across the border, we look to Pakistan to take strong steps
to squeeze militants besides encouraging the Taliban to enter the
reconciliation.” “We actually want to squeeze militants between the two
forces so that they are left with no safe haven to plan attacks from,”
she said replying to a question of havens in Afghanistan as well.
Unlike
recent threats of unilateral actions Clinton emphasized on joint
actions but with an urgency to do so. To do the needful for end
terrorism, she said, “it was not the matter of months and years but we’d
have to do it in days and weeks. Describing these actions not just in
the interest of Pakistan according to her was a critical country for
regional security but also to the peace and stability of the region as
well as the world.
She said we are not asking Pakistan to
sacrifice its own security and we respect Pakistan’s sovereignty and the
sacrifice of 30,000 killed here in last 10 years by terrorists. “But
the militants’ save havens must not be protected or tolerated,” she
rushed to add.
“Aid in millions of dollars helped Pak meet
energy needs, grow economy, sand strengthening democracy - because we
believe thriving Pakistan is good for the world. We will continue to
support Pakistan’s elected government and its people”, Clinton said
Pakistan
leaders have to follow through the path of solving problems of
corruption and delivering real results. And it’s up to citizens of
Pakistan to demand those results. She welcomed Pakistan and India trade
talks and recent signing of Afghan Transit Trade Agreement. “You can’t
keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite neighbours”,
Clinton said perhaps referring to what Americans believe as militants
sanctuaries inside Pakistan
Emphasizing that US is committed to
people of Pakistan and its future she said we offer recommendations in
the spirit of the friendship that has survived many ups and downs.
To
a question about the impression of US making Pakistan a scapegoat of
its failures, she said, “we are talking about partnership and not what
US wants Pakistan to do,” she said and added “but this relationship must
yield now.”
“It must deliver results for US and Pakistani
people and for the people of entire world,” she said adding “differences
cannot be resolved in a single visit. Our generations have worked
together and the younger generation must be informed about the value of
this relationship,” she maintained.
Describing the talks with
the US as positive, Khar said Islamabad and Washington should give peace
a chance. She further said that Pakistan wants stability in the region.
Khar also said that misunderstandings between Pakistan and the US
should be resolved.
Asked whether Pakistan was ready to take the
lead in Afghan reconciliation process as desired by the US, she said
Pakistan’s stance has been clear from the beginning. Pakistan would back
an Afghan-led reconciliation process.
Answering questions from
the US media, she said, having suffered losses without parallel for
playing as frontline coalition partner Pakistan should not be blamed now
being non-serious in this international counter terror effort. Our
principles of engagement with rest of the world and future actions in
the war on terror would be guided by the resolutions of the All Parties
Conference and the Parliament. She said Pakistan needs help in tackling
this menace but in terms of trade access and partnership based on mutual
respect. “Obviously, we cannot compromise our own security and national
interests,” she maintained. Online
