No more drone strikes during Taliban talks, US assures Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The United States has promised that it will not carry out any drone strikes in Pakistan during any peace talks with Taliban militants in the future, the Prime Minister's Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said Wednesday.
Briefing a session of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Aziz said a team of government negotiators was prepared to hold talks with former Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud on Nov 2, the day after he was killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan.
Aziz said Mehsud had been sent a list of negotiators, and that the ex-TTP chief himself had added the names of two clerics to be part of the team.
However, Aziz said the peace process had been on hold since Mehsud’s killing and that the negotiations had been badly affected by the Nov 1 drone strike.
The foreign affairs advisor said the US had assured that no drone strikes would be carried out during any peace talks. However, he did not clarify when the US had given this assurance.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had told reporters last week that the process of peace talks could not be taken forward unless drone attacks on Pakistani soil are halted.
Nisar had said that the drone attack that killed Mehsud ‘sabotaged’ the government’s efforts to strike peace with anti-state militants.
**Tere waade par jiye hum, to ye jaan jhoot jaana
ke khushi se mar na jaate agar aitbaar hota!!! :smack:
**
Another lollipop for Pakistanis or a bait to entice Radio to talks?
Re: No more drones — US gives assurance to Pakistan
the reason given by the US to take Hakimullah MaHsud was that he was a HVT [High Value Target] so they 'HAD' to strike.
how about Fazlullah? is he NOT a a higher HVT? what's the guarantee that the US will NOT cease upon the opportunity to take him OUT.
i think it's a bait to lure Fazlullah into the trap! no?
No one knows except USA what is HVT for USA, but Hakeemullah Mashud was HVT for Americans, involved in killing American soldiers, and that is why America had head money on Hakeemullah Mashud.
Hakeemullah was HVT for Pakistan too and that is why Pakistan had head money on Hakeemullah, but as you know, some in Pakistan love these Fasadi Rascals. Many in high official posts even collaborate with these Fasadis, so for Pakistan to act against HVT like Hakeemullah is difficult, more difficult than Americans.
As for Fazlullah, as far as I know, he is not HVT for Americans, but is HVT for Pakistan, as he directly involved in killing many Pakistanis, including Pakistani soldiers, brutally. If USA wanted to kill him, then they could have killed him while he was in Afghanistan. So, one can assume that most likely Fazlullah would be safe from drone strikes. Time would tell. :)
Re: No more drones — US gives assurance to Pakistan
First and foremost, it is simply imperative for us to prevent any mistrust from forming between our nations. Our decade long partnership has shown the importance of our combined efforts against our common enemies. We’ve been able to capture some of the top terrorist leaders through each other’s assistance. At the same time, our leaders continue to meet to address our shared concerns; as evident by the recent meeting between PM Nawaz Sharif and President Obama. There is no reason for us to be pessimistic in regards to our partnership. At the end of the day, we share a common stance in regards to our peace objectives in the region. And we will continue to coordinate and communicate for the sake of preventing any issues from arising.
Re: No more drones — US gives assurance to Pakistan
Unless it comes straight from the “mouth” of Uncle Sam, I’d even give two flying poops about it. These are the same people who were boasting about we did fala’n fala’n about aafia siddiqui until they were corrected by the State Dept that no one even talked about it since it is a closed issue.. I don’t even know why Nawaz sharif is a leader, since he clearly doesn’t want to lead but more like loot maar in Pakistan. Seriously, an “educated” person like him can’t speak couple of points in front of Obama w/o having a parchi in front of him? Can’t someone coach him when Malala can be when she is NOT the prime minister of Pakistan?
Re: No more drones — US gives assurance to Pakistan
According to the foreign office no such commitment has been made. As far as attacking Fazlullah is concerned, he is in Afghanistan. The US could have taken him out long ago.
Re: No more drones — US gives assurance to Pakistan
According to the foreign office no such commitment has been made. As far as attacking Fazlullah is concerned, he is in Afghanistan. The US could have taken him out long ago.
Pakistani foreign office? Shouldn't the ministers be disciplined somehow when they keep lying like this about their departments???
I don’t even know why Nawaz sharif is a leader, since he clearly doesn’t want to lead but more like loot maar in Pakistan. Seriously, an “educated” person like him can’t speak couple of points in front of Obama w/o having a parchi in front of him? Can’t someone coach him when Malala can be when she is NOT the prime minister of Pakistan?