US to pressure Paksitan on Al-Qaida linked HAqqani group’s relation with attacks in Afghanistan

US to pressure Paksitan on Al-Qaida linked HAqqani group’s relation with attacks in Afghanistan

The United States has said that it will continue to press
Islamabad to "squeeze" the al-Qaida linked Haqqani network, as
Afghanistan blamed the Pakistan-based group for the latest brazen attacks in Kabul.

Declaring "there were indications of Haqqani involvement" in the weekend attacks in the Afghan capital, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that she had pressed Pakistan to ‘squeeze’ the Haqqani network when she visited Islamabad last October.

"I will continue to make that point, and press it hard," Clinton was quoted by Fox News as telling reporters in the Brazilian capital Brasilia, where she described the Pakistan-based outfit as a ‘determined foe’.

Afghan interior minister Bismillah Mohammadi had told newsmen in
Kabul that one of the militants arrested during the latest attacks on the Afghan capital and three other cities had told the authorities that al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network was behind the assaults.

The secretary of state said she had spoken to her Pakistani counterpart
Hina Rabbani Khar to urge her for a commitment to work closely for peace and stability in Afghanistan and also discussed the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul.

The telephonic talks between Clinton and Khar come a day ahead of a crucial meeting of Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership, who are expected to take a final decision on re-opening of logistic supply lines to NATO troops in Afghanistan.

In a statement President Zardari said Pakistani government and the people stands with Afghan brethren in this critical juncture. He said a peaceful Afghanistan is in the interests of Pakistan in the following words, “We desire a peaceful, stable and prosperous
Afghanistan.”

The President said Pakistan supports peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. He stressed that both Pakistan and Afghanistan face common challenges of extremism and terrorism and that the two countries work together with greater resolve to eradicate this
menace.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will preside over the meeting of the defence committee of cabinet, which will also be attended by key ministers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Shamim Wyeen, Army Chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and chiefs of
airforce and navy. The meeting has been called days after the parliament unanimously approved a resolution for resetting the country’s strained relations with the US.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=19254

Posted by Rabiya Maqbool on Apr 17 2012. Filed under Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry