US, Pakistan must ‘divorce’ as allies: Husain Haqqani
WASHINGTON: The United States and Pakistan should stop pretending they are allies and amicably “divorce,” Pakistan’s former ambassador to Washington said on Wednesday, citing unrealistic expectations in both countries that include US hopes Islamabad will sever its links to extremists.“If in 65 years, you haven’t been able to find sufficient common ground to live together, and you had three separations and four reaffirmations of marriage, then maybe the better way is to find friendship outside of the marital bond,” Husain Haqqani said, addressing the Center for the National Interest, a Washington think tank.
Haqqani’s recommendation that the United States and Pakistan essentially downgrade their status was based on the premise that it may be the only way to break from what has been a dysfunctional relationship.
A post-alliance future would allow both countries to hold more realistic expectations of each other, cooperating where possible but perhaps without the sense of betrayal, w h ich has become acute in Pakistan.
He cited a survey by the Pew Research Center released in June showing roughly three-in-four Pakistanis consider the United States an enemy, even though the United States pours billions of dollars of aid into the country.
“If this was an election campaign … you would advise the senator with these kinds of favorability ratings to pull out of the race, instead of spending more money,” said Haqqani, who plans to publish a book entitled “Magnificent Delusions” next year about the US-Pakistan relationship.
His candid remarks represented Haqqani’s first address in Washington since he resigned as Pakistan’s envoy last year after, he says, being framed for drafting a memo that accused the Pakistani army of plotting a coup, allegations he defended himself against before Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
Many of Haqqani’s comments underscored the friction between Pakistan’s civilian government and military, which have bedeviled the nuclear-armed South Asian country for almost its entire existence.
Haqqani, who served as an adviser to four Pakistani prime ministers, identified himself among a small minority who support good relations with the United States but “who do not have the ability to influence the course of policy at home.”
He said Pakistan’s military needed to be under greater civilian control, adding Pakistan’s national interests are defined “by generals, not by civilian leaders.”
But he also doled out criticism of US policymaking, saying it was too often short-sighted, lacking the necessary historic perspective needed to appreciate realistically what Pakistan might do in return for aid and cooperation.
The depths of the strained US-Pakistan relationship have come into full public view since the United States, without telling Pakistan, secretly staged a raid to kill Osama bin Laden last year. Haqqani was ambassador at the time.
He repeatedly said someone in Pakistan knew of bin Laden’s presence, even though he stopped far short of blaming Pakistan’s principal intelligence agency, the Inter Services Intelligence directorate (ISI).
“I still think a full proper investigation on the Pakistani side is needed to find out how Osama bin Laden lived in Pakistan and who supported him, within or outside the government,” he said. “I really do not know (who helped bin Laden). All I am saying is that somebody knew.”
Unreealistic Expectations
He said it was just as unrealistic for Pakistanis to think that the United States would side with Pakistan by launching war on India as it was for the United States to think Pakistan would give up its nuclear weapons or sever ties with extremists.
“Equally unrealistic is that Pakistan … will give up support for jihadi groups that it deems to be a subconventional force multiplier for regional influence,” Haqqani said.
Describing his vision for a post-alliance future for the United States and Pakistan, Haqqani appeared to downplay US security concerns. He said Pakistan’s eight-month shut-off of ground supply lines for Nato forces in Afghanistan showed the United States it could rely on more costly routes to the North.
And when it comes to unpopular US drone strikes against militants, Haqqani believed the United States would press ahead with the campaign even in a post-alliance future.
“I have no realistic expectation of the United States ending the drone campaign and (no realistic expectation of) Pakistan accepting it,” he said.
Pak-India to host each other’s bank branches: Indian Media
NEW DELHI: The India media reported that Pakistan and India have agreed to issue complete banking licenses and to open branches of two banks hosted in each others countries, DawnNews reported on Thursday.The Indian media had quoted the Governor of State Bank of Pakistan Yaseen Anwar as saying that State bank of India and Bank of India would open in branches in Pakistan whereas the National Bank of Pakistan ad United Bank Ltd would open its branches in India.
He further added that it might take a few months for the Indian banks to get approval for license.
Plan to block pre-paid SIMs issued on fake ID
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that the government is planning to block pre-paid SIMs issued on fake national identity cards in order to prevent their use in terrorist activities.
Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, the minister said the proposal was to block all prepaid SIMs in phases after consultations with relevant sections and experts.
He said mobile phones had become the biggest weapon in the hands of terrorists and unauthorised SIMs were being used by terrorists and ‘extortionists’.
He said the blocking of mobile phone service in big cities on Eid day worked well because the decision helped to foil a conspiracy hatched by enemies.
Mr Malik said almost 50 per cent SIMs had been issued on bogus identity cards, but the government had succeeded in blocking about 10 million such SIMs.
He said flaws in the procedure of issuing SIMs would be removed and information provided by the subscriber would be verified.
He said the threat of terrorism still existed but things were improving gradually because the system had been strengthened and possibility of further improvement is being explored.
The minister said the government was taking necessary measures to protect people’s lives and property.
He said investigation into the recent attack on the Kamra air base was in progress and the process of identifying the detained people had begun.
Mr Malik said fresh recruitments in Islamabad police and work on its housing society would start soon.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari has praised the interior minister and law-enforcement personnel for maintaining peace across the country on Eid.
In a message issued in Karachi, the president said it was a matter of satisfaction that no major untoward incident of law and order took place in the country during Eid days and people were able to celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones in a peaceful atmosphere.
He said this was made possible by the concerted efforts, vigilance and coordination among law-enforcement authorities in all the provinces.
He expressed the hope that the same level of vigilance would be observed in future to maintain law and order and to foil the designs of militants and extremists.
Mr Zardari said democracy was about exercising political options freely through ballot and not under threat or coercion. He said no-one would be allowed to use force, coercion and intimidation in exercise of political choices and options.
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