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| 24 January 2004 | Saturday | 01 Zilhaj 1424 |
No 'invisible hand' in operations: FM
ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri rejected an opposition charge in the Senate on Friday that there was "an invisible hand" behind the government's anti-terrorism operation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
The statement came after Senator Mohammad Azam Khan Swati of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal indirectly accused the government of carrying out its military operation in Fata at the behest of the United States that he did not name.
Mr Swati, who hails from the NWFP, rose on a point of order to complain about alleged harassment of tribal population in the border area, particularly vis-a-vis recent encounters in South Waziristan, and sought a clarification about reasons for the operation.
"It is due to an invisible hand," he said, in an obvious reference to the US, which is leading a Nato force fighting Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Afghanistan.
"There is no invisible hand," Mr Kasuri said. "There are problems...," he added and reiterated the government policy not to allow Pakistan's territory to be used for terrorism.
He recalled assurances that militants who surrendered would not be handed over to the US and would be tried in Pakistan or sent back to their native countries. He said large numbers of tribal people were supporting the operation. "It is a multi-faceted problem."
The minister said the operation was in the interest of the tribal population and in the interest of Pakistan. "It is not done to please any foreign power."But the minister apparently sidestepped a query from PPP Senator Mohammad Enver Baig about whether President Pervez Musharraf's reported chance encounter with former Israeli prime minister Shimon Perez at Davos on Thursday could be a precursor to Pakistan's recognition of the Jewish state.
"Is Pakistan trying to establish diplomatic relations with Israel," Mr Baig asked. Mr Kasuri said one had to meet "all sorts of people" at such international conferences. He told the house that he did not know what remarks the president had made to Mr Perez.
After Mr Baig insisted to know whether Pakistan wanted to have diplomatic ties with Israel, Mr Kasuri appeared hesitant to speak any more on the subject. Acting chairman Khalilur Rehman made Mr Kasuri's task easier by remarking that the minister had already replied and there was no need to elaborate.
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