US President Barack Obama today voiced concern over Pakistans military and intelligence services links with extremists,observing that Washington finds this troubling. Obama also said Pakistan should realise that a peaceful approach towards India would be in everybodys interests.
Without naming the Haqqani network,with whom the ISI is said to have links,Obama described the extremists as unsavoury characters,adding,there is no doubt that theres some connections the Pakistani military and intelligence services have with certain individuals that we find troubling.
Obama said Pakistan saw its security interest threatened by an independent Afghanistan,in part because they think it will ally itself to India,and Pakistan still considers India their mortal enemy. He said Pakistan should realise that a peaceful approach towards India would be in everybodys interests.
I think they have hedged their bets in terms of what Afghanistan would look like,and part of hedging their bets is having interactions with some of the unsavoury characters who they think might end up regaining power in Afghanistan, he said.
Saying the US would constantly evaluate its ties with Pakistan,he said were not going to feel comfortable with a long-term strategic relationship if we dont think that theyre mindful of our interests as well. PTI