US seeking to make Pakistan a scapegoat: Peshawar Corps Commander

Peshawar Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Khalid Rabbani accused the United States of seeking to make Pakistan a scapegoat for its failure to eliminate uprising in Afghanistan, expressing an omen of the bad blood between Islamabad and Washington.

After an hour US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked Pakistan to curb safe houses of terrorists from its soil, Lt. Gen Khalid Rabbani flayed severe criticism on the US and NATO for what he said their double-standard attitudes.

In his view, Americans attempts to hold dialogues with Afghan insurgents means Washington can no longer expected Pakistan to strike all the militant factions on its soil.

The Americans and NATO officials regularly allege Pakistan for tolerating if not supporting the Taliban. Washington wants Islamabad to launch an offensive operation in North Waziristan.

The Peshawar Corps Commander observed, “Why do they raise their fingers toward Pakistan? It is shifting the blame to others. Is Afghanistan free of Taliban? It has hundreds of thousands of them”.

The US constantly asks Pakistan to launch a massive operation against militants along the Afghan border. Gen. Khalid Rabbani while speaking to the media said the US and NATO were in contact with insurgents in Afghanistan to try and take on them into the peace-process.

He was of the opinion that similar things were true on this side of the borders as well. In his view why was it forbidden for Pakistan to do the same practice?

He asked how negotiations with Taliban across the border were justified while it was wrong when Pakistan does so with Taliban in the troubled areas. Washington was passing the buck to Islamabad while it had also been in contact with the Taliban, he added.

Pakistan had launched in military operation in six of seven tribal regions bordering with Afghanistan. While losing hundreds of its soldiers, it retook major parts of the troubled areas.

However, likewise US forces in Afghanistan, Pakistan army has had difficulties holding retaken regions and attacks continue to roil the territories.

Rabbani was of the opinion that something had to be done and it’s in the offing. He commented, “North Waziristan is the only region we haven’t cleared. It should be done as early as possible”.

Repeating assurances by other top army officers, the Peshawar Corps Commander said several times that the army would launch operations in North Waziristan but he didn’t say when this would happen, nor whether it.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=21753

Posted by Faisal Farooq on May 8 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.