Sir: Responding to a question whether the US was satisfied with Pakistan on fighting terrorism, State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said Pakistan has gone after militant groups selectively, urging Islamabad to eliminate all groups and shut down their safe havens. “They have shut down some of these safe havens. They’ve restored government control to parts of Pakistan that were used as terrorist safe havens for years. These necessary steps have contributed to security interests in the region and have come at a cost of Pakistani lives. But at the same time, we’ve been very clear with the highest levels of the government of Pakistan that they must target all militant groups, and that includes those that target Pakistan’s neighbours, and they must also close all safe havens.”
May I ask whether the State Department has given any proof to Islamabad pinpointing the safe havens? Google Earth is now in everybody’s hands; no part on earth remains a secret to anyone in the world or beyond this globe. Shouldn’t Mark Toner present the satellite images of any of the safe havens within Pakistan or those spared by the forces engaged in Zarb-e-Azb operation? Such statements are tantamount to casting aspersions on Pakistani people, government and armed forces’ all-out sincere efforts to kill this terror monster once and for all. Time and again, Americans have been told that we no more differentiate between good and bad Taliban.
When there is a question of intelligence sharing, or for that matter using of hi-tech F-16s or other weaponry, America refuses to facilitate. Instead, it resorts to drone attacks in blatant violation of international laws. On the ground, Pakistan has lost its thousands of troops, civilian men and women, school children and the elderly, and the economic losses worth billions of dollars. When the noose is tightened against terrorists in Pakistan, neighbouring countries like Afghanistan give shelter to the escaping TTP people.
The US keeps on asking Pakistan to act against Haqqani network that has been uprooted, or the remaining has shifted to Afghan side. How can Pakistan act against a network that has already been expelled and Senator McCain personally visited the area? But when Pakistan asks Kabul or the US to hand over Mullah Fazlullah, who is present in Afghan territory, the response is not healthy. Pakistan is the target and the victim. Thousands are dead, yet Pakistan’s are the cheapest of all sacrifices. Do more, or perish.
F Z KHAN
Islamabad