US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has severely criticised Pakistan over its failure to hunt the top Al Qaeda leadership hiding in safe havens inside the country.
Rezaul H. LaskarIslamabadOct. 30: US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has severely criticised Pakistan over its failure to hunt the top Al Qaeda leadership hiding in safe havens inside the country."Al Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002... I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to," Ms Clinton said, suggesting that Islamabad had wasted opportunities over the years to finish the Al Qaeda network."Maybe that's the case, maybe they're not gettable. I don't know... As far as we know, they are in Pakistan," she said in unusually blunt remarks during a visit to Pakistan that was aimed at mending fences and improving strained relations. Ms Clinton's com- ments came at a meeting with senior Pakistani journalists in Lahore Thursday night and reflected concerns expressed recently by senior US diplomats, including ambassador Anne Patterson.She also alluded to the role of Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency, which has been accused of secretly supporting militant groups.In a remark that appeared aimed directly at the ISI, she said: "If we are going to have a mature partnership where we work together there are issues that, not just the US, but others have with your government and with your military security establishment."In recent interactions with the media, US diplomats have said they believe Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden is alive and based in Pakistan's tribal belt. They have also urged the Pakistan government to take action against the "Quetta shura", or senior leaders of the Taliban basedin the suburbs of the capital of southwestern Balochistan province.Ms Clinton also told Pakistan that it had little choice but to take aggressive approach towards the Taliban and other extremist groups. With the Pakistan Army pushing deeper into country's lawless region in South Waziristan, long suspected by US officials to be a safe haven for Bin Laden.In response to a query at a question-answer session with students, Ms Clinton said: "If you want your country toshrink, that's your choice."Since her arrival in Pakistan on Wednesday, Ms Clinton has avoided discussing contentious issues in public appearances, including at a joint press conference with foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. She repeatedly said she was in Pakistan to "turn the page" in the US-Pakistan relationship.Observers said her remarks about Al Qaeda during the interaction with journalists in Lahore reflected rising US frustration about Pakistan's role in the war on terror. Pakistani leaders have claimed that no Al Qaeda leaders are in the country.Ms Clinton wrapped up her official engagements with a key meeting with the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, where, according to a military statement later, the two "exchanged candid views on matters of mutual interest."There has been no official response so far from the Pakistani on the remarks of the secretary of state.An unnamed US official told the Los Angeles Times that Ms Clinton's remarks about Al Qaeda were not part of a prepared message she had intended to deliver, but reflected her own "heartfelt views".Ms Patterson, the US ambassador here, told reporters Ms Clinton's comments approximate what the US administration has told Pakistani officials in private. "We often say, 'Yes, there needs to be more focus on findingthese (Al Qaeda) leaders'," she said.Ms Patterson noted that Pakistan had in recent years "lostcontrol of much" of the territory where the terrorist leaders are believed to be hiding. "That's why they're in South Waziristan right now."The US-Pakistan relationship has recently been under strain due to several issues. There has been an outcry in Islamabad over conditions attached to the Kerry-Lugar aid package and the powerful Pakistani military has publicly expressed concern on this issue.Pakistani leaders have been angered by America's call to do more in the war on terror and have opposed US drone attacks, describing them as an infringement of Pakistani sovereignty.