Pakistan’s army chief reacted angrily to US dismay that his forces had not acted to repel a Taliban insurgency advancing on Islamabad, the country’s capital and home to some of its nuclear assets.
Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani condemned the “pronouncements by outside powers raising doubts on the future of the country” in a rare statement at the weekend, insisting that his troops were ready for battle against any threat.
Ahmed Quraishi EXCLUSIVE
Why did Richard Halbrooke, always arrogant and calm, appear shaken today in Islamabad? Read this exclusive report by Ahmed Quraishi
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—For the first time in a long time, the Pakistani government managed to turn heads in Washington by saying all things America doesn’t want to hear: Islamabad will not allow the United States to expand its war inside Pakistan, won’t allow U.S. boots on the ground, and CIA better stop its drone attacks ASAP. If this was not enough, the ISI chief reportedly refused to meet top U.S. officials and a former air force chief announced that the Pakistani Air Force is just a green signal away from shooting down CIA’s drones and that it only awaited orders from the President and the Prime Minister.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency chief on Tuesday refused to meet visiting US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke and American military commander Admiral Mike Mullen in an apparent reaction to criticism of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency for its alleged links with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Earlier, the Chief of Army staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had categorically said that continued drones attacks and baseless allegations on Pakistan intelligence agency ‘ISI’ are increasingly making it difficult for Pakistan to cooperate with the US in achieving the objectives of war on terror.
EXCLUSIVE | PakistanKaKhudaHafiz.com
General Rtd. Aslam Baig has said that US General Mullen is pressing our authorities to allow India to hit certain targets, keeping silent and indifferent to the situation as they have been doing in case of US attacks, which he believes, will cool down India and diffuse tensions between the two countries.
“I don’t think that conscientious Pakistani nation and brave armed forces of Pakistan will accept such a situation. This will be shameful and render Pakistan submission to India,” the retired General said.
He called upon the rulers to explain their position in this regard. He said that the US was after ridiculing the sovereignty of Pakistan only to please India and Mullen had come with a dangerous message.
UPDATE: Reports coming in from variuos sources suggest that COAS Kiyani yesterday made it clear that regardless of how the civilan government chooses to respond to the US request to allow Indian ‘surgical strikes’, Pakistan Army will not accept any Indian intrusion. The scrambling of jets over Lahore and Islamabad yesterday was part of this and the armed forces are alert and ready to defend against any Indian action.
Kiyani is also said to have told US General Michael Mullen that in event of any aggression from India, the US and NATO can ‘forget about’ using Pakistan territory to supply their forces in Afghanistan as all resources will be diverted to defending against India on the eastern border.
“The armed forces are fully prepared to meet any eventuality, as his men are ready to sacrifice for their country,” General Kayani told the Zardari yesterday in a meeting where he also stressed that any further buckling under mounting Indian pressure would prove counter-productive in the sense that it would further encourage New Delhi to further build up pressure on Islamabad. Pakistan would respond “within minutes” in the event of surgical strikes by India.
