ISB 29-03-2012_Layout 1 3/29/2012 3:12 AM Page 1
Afghans, Americans tired of war, says Leon Panetta
Karachi violence eclipses NA debate on terms with US
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Singh offers export of 5,000MW to Pakistan
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Rs15.00 Vol II No 271 22 Pages Islamabad — Peshawar Edition
Thursday, 29 March, 2012 Jamadi-ul-Awal 5, 1433
Pakistani, US military top brass hold first post-Salala meeting g
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US generals urge early restoration of NAto supply routes, propose slashing drone targets list
ISLAMABAD
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wo top US military officials on wednesday held crucial meetings with the Pakistani military leadership and demanded an early reopening of NATo supply routes, a contentious issue currently being debated in the joint session of parliament convened to discuss the recommendations prepared by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on ‘future terms of engagement’ with the United States. The American military officials, General James N Mattis, commander US Central Command and General John Allen, commander ISAF, also discussed with Pakistan’s military leaders some vital proposals to resolve the row between Islamabad and washington over the drone strikes in Tribal Areas. US has offered Pakistan to slash the list of targets for drone attacks in the Tribal Areas and limit it only to top al Qaeda and Taliban leaders, instead of hitting all miscreants and that too when those few attacks are approved by Pakistani authorities. General Mattis and General John
Allen, who arrived on a surprise visit amidst debate in the parliament over review of relations with the US, first called on General Khalid Shameem wynne, the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and met Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani later in the evening to discuss ways to improve strained bilateral relations. General Kayani told the visiting US military officials that the NATo attack on Pakistani checkposts in Mohmand Agency last year was an assault on Pakistan’s sovereignty and there must be an unconditional apology on part of US for that, according to officials privy to the talks.General Mattis was earlier asked by Pakistani authorities to put off his visit until the completion of parliamentary review of Pakistan-US relations and his visit now to Islamabad before that suggested the thaw in relations between the two major countries in anti-terrorism global alliance. It is also significant that the US military officials visited Islamabad in the wake of important meeting between President Barack obama and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in Seoul recently on the sidelines of an international summit on nuclear security. “General James N Mattis and
Haqqani may seek political asylum in US ISLAMABAD TAhIR NIAz
Kayani asks US generals to wait for parliament’s review of terms of ties with Washington ShAIq hUSSAIN
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ISAF Commander Gen John Allen (L) and US CENTCOM chief Gen James Mattis (R). file photo General John Allen remained with General wynne for some time and discussed bilateral matters professional interests, and the emerging geo strategic situation of the region,” said a brief ISPR statement. Earlier, another ISPR statement only stated that US military officials would call later in the day on General Kayani to discuss cross border coordination and investigations into ‘Salala post’ attack by NATo aircraft. The meeting between visiting American generals and the army chief took place late in the evening, but there was no official version of what transpired in the crucial talks. Nonetheless, a security official said the US military officials asked for early reopening of blocked NATo supply routes saying delay in this regard was causing harm to ongoing
counter-terrorism campaign in Afghanistan. “General Kayani told the US officials that the matter is now before the parliament which will decide about the resumption of NATo supplies, so the US needs to wait until that happens,” the official said. Another Pakistani official, who sought anonymity, said that the US officials also discussed with Pakistani military officials the differences over drone strikes and proposed that drone attacks could be limited and only the top militants’ leadership would be hit in future instead of targeting all alleged terrorists in the tribal areas. “Pakistan Army leadership, however, told the US officials that drone strikes had proven to be counter-productive so they need to be stopped,” he said.
Anticipating an adverse decision from the apex court or the memo commission, former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani is all set to seek political asylum in the US, it has been learnt reliably. In case the memo commission issues arrest warrants for Haqqani after possible rejection by the Supreme Court of his request for recording his statement via video link from London or the memo commission gave an adverse finding of the probe, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US will immediately express no-confidence against the memo commission and apex court of the country and seek political asylum in the US, sources close to Haqqani told Pakistan Today. The sources, when asked about Haqqani’s return from the US for appearing before the memo commission, said: “why would he jump into hell. He will not come to Pakistan and seek political asylum in the USA in case the commission issued his arrest warrants or gave an adverse finding,” adding that “it is as simple as that”. The sources said Haqqani would first try to record his statement from London and if allowed by the SC, he would feel no immediate problem. However, in case the memo commission issued arrest warrants to bring Haqqani back to Pakistan to attend the proceedings following the rejection of his request from the SC, Haqqani would prefer to stay in the US and apply for asylum. CoNTINuEd oN PAgE 04