Opinion Bombing ties

Gen Pasha,during his trip “threatened… to impose new limits on the CIA drone strikes in their country and to expel agency operatives whose missions are not approved by Islamabad,” according to Daily Times on April 13. The demands “represent an effort by Pakistan to exert more control over the covert CIA war being waged inside its borders… A senior Pakistani official called the tone of the meeting ‘cordial’ but said Pasha made clear that the CIA-ISI relationship had suffered a ‘breach of trust’ and had to be reconfigured with a ‘clear code of conduct’. ‘We need to know who is in Pakistan doing what,and that the CIA won’t go behind our back… There has to be a greater sharing of information in terms of what the CIA wants and is doing. They have to stop mistrusting the ISI as much as they do you can’t have us as your ally and treat us as your adversary at the same time,’ an official said. Pasha asked the CIA for a complete list of its employees and contractors in Pakistan and made clear that some may be asked to leave… CIA officials sought to play down the disagreement and signalled that joint counter-terrorism operations would continue.”

Drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas,too,have strained relations,and have been condemned across the political spectrum,. A report published by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on April 14 calculated that 957 people had died in drone attacks last year. However,a news report in Dawn on April 15 said that Panetta categorically stated during his meeting with Pasha that the “CIA has no plans to suspend ‘operations’ in Pakistan against terror suspects despite objections from leaders in Islamabad…” The report quoted an unnamed US intelligence official: “Panetta has been clear… that his fundamental responsibility is to protect the American people,and he will not halt operations that support that objective.’”

Apparently reflecting the CIA chief’s stance,American drones resumed missile attacks in Pakistan on Wednesday for the first time in a month. Pakistan’s foreign ministry and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani sharply criticised the latest bombing raid. Daily Times reported on April 14 Gilani is engaging “friendly countries” to exert diplomatic pressure on the US to stop these strikes. The News reported on April 15 that Pakistan’s foreign office had termed the drone attacks as the “core irritant” in US-Pakistan relations.

Test cricket

The News reported on April 12 that Pakistan’s PM hailed the “Mohali spirit” as a catalyst in improving Indo-Pak ties,and also supported the idea of greater sporting engagement between the two countries in the future. “He said that the semi-final played between Pakistan and India in Mohali had brought the two governments and two nations closer. ‘It is not the question of winning or losing by one country. In fact,the winner is cricket and the people of Pakistan and India,he said. He favoured the continuity of cricket matches between the two countries,which he said,would help develop positive thinking besides providing a friendly entertainment on both sides.”