Pakistan must boost anti-terror fight: Hillary

KABUL, October 20: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday demanded that Pakistan step up the fight against terrorists within its borders, delivering a blunt message that Pakistanis "must be part of the solution" to the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Using unusually stern language, Ms. Clinton said while visiting the Afghan capital of Kabul that the Obama administration expects the Pakistani government, military and intelligence services to "take the lead" in not only fighting insurgents based in Pakistan but also in encouraging Afghan militants to reconcile with Afghan society.
"We intend to push Pakistan very hard," Ms. Clinton told a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Ms. Clinton will travel to Pakistan later on Thursday to deliver the message wrapped in a new formula called "fight, talk, build" that aims to kill unrepentant insurgents, convince those willing to accept certain principles to make peace, and rehabilitate Afghanistan and integrate it back into the region.
"Our message (to Pakistan) is very clear," she said. "We're going to be fighting, we are going to be talking and we are going to be building ... and they can either be helping or hindering, but we are not going to stop."
Ms. Clinton, who will be leading an extraordinarily high-level U.S. delegation to Islamabad to make that case, said it was imperative for the U.S., Afghanistan and Pakistan to cooperate. But she said Pakistan bears much of the responsibility.
"We must send a clear, unequivocal message to the government and people of Pakistan that they must be part of the solution, and that means ridding their own country of terrorists who kill their own people and who cross the border to kill people in Afghanistan," she said.
Ms. Clinton noted that U.S. and Afghan forces had recently launched a joint operation against safe havens in Afghanistan used by the Taliban-allied, Pakistan-based Haqqani network. She said the U.S. "would show" Pakistan how to eliminate Haqqani safe havens on Pakistani soil.
"We have to deal with the safe havens on both sides of the borders," she said, adding later- "No one should be in any way mistaken about allowing (attacks) to continue without paying a very big price."
The U.S. sees a political settlement with the Taliban as key to ending the war and is pushing Mr. Karzai to lead and expand a reconciliation drive, although the Taliban has indicated no public interest in such a deal. "Reconciliation is possible," she said. "Indeed, it represents the best hope for Afghanistan and the region."
"Pak must be involved in reconciliation"
Ms. Clinton's tough comments come as Mr. Karzai has expressed frustration with his attempts to woo Taliban fighters away from the insurgency amid increasing attacks by the Haqqani network and the murder last month of elder statesman Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was leading the outreach. Rabbani was killed when he greeted a suicide bomber posing as a Taliban emissary bearing a reconciliation message.
Mr. Karzai said Rabbani's assassination made it clear that Pakistan must be on board and involved in reconciliation efforts. (Agencies)


2011-10-20



blog comments powered by Disqus

International News 15 Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshi Students Memorized Holy Qur'an Saudia Arabai April 28/2012 : Bazme - e - Idrak, Sirpaarast Aulia - e - Talba, Al-Jubail KSA, had organized the Graduation Day. Hafiz - O - Qari Ustad Syed Lutfullah Hussaini, Halaqa - e - Salman Al-Farsi, Jubail has address the Audience on the occasion of Takreem - e - Huffaz. All the Parents were so excited to see their children graduating, and had invited their relatives and friends, some grandparents flown in from India to attend the Graduation day function. Ustad Syed Lutfullah Hussaini, spoke about the importance of reading and memorizing Qur'an, he quoted the verses of Qur'an that Allah says, tha ... Read More

Latest Headlines Over 1 million Thais are infected with HIV/AIDs Ending Subsidies for Big Oil Companies Government of Canada invests to help youth in Edmonton get jobs Baird Expresses Condolences to Turkey and Afghanistan After NATO Helicopter Crash President Jacob Zuma extends condolences to the Belgian citizens killed in bus accident in Switzerland East Asia Low Carbon Growth Partnership Dialogue India-Iran to enhance cooperation in renewable energy Internet preferred for contacting government in Australia Constitutional recognition is a chance to shape a better future for us all - Australian Human Rights Commission

Hyderabad Association launching in Damma Indian expatriates from Hyderabad have l Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea aims to highlight The 50th Anniversary of the United State