US denies meddling in Pakistan's politics

Published August 22, 2014
State Department’s deputy spokesperson Marie Harf. — File photo
State Department’s deputy spokesperson Marie Harf. — File photo

The State Department in a daily briefing in Washington on Friday commented said the US was not engaged in any discussions that could be regarded as interference in Pakistan's internal politics.

State Department’s deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said: "We are in no way involved in the process or the discussion between the parties. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false."

"We do think that there needs to be peaceful dialogue and no attempts to change Pakistan’s government through extra-constitutional attempts," Harf added.

Responding to a question as to whether there were any contacts between Islamabad and Washington on the current situation, Harf said US Ambassador to Pakistan Olson "meets quite frequently with a range of officials, and I believe that’s where the contact has occurred".

A day ago, the US had put its weight behind the “elected government” of Nawaz Sharif, declaring that it did not support any “extra-constitutional changes” in Pakistan or those “attempting to impose” such changes.

Harf had said that the US believed “Nawaz Sharif was elected and is prime minister” and that “there’s a government in place that was elected”.

The statement had caused an angry reaction at Islamabad’s D Chowk, where thousands of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistani Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers have been protesting for a week to force the prime minister to resign.

Opinion

Editorial

Anything goes
Updated 13 Jan, 2025

Anything goes

With social media companies abandoning moderation efforts, dark days of freewheeling internet have seemingly returned.
Odious trade
13 Jan, 2025

Odious trade

WHEN home feels like a sinking ship, people are forced to make ill-fated journeys for a better life. Last month,...
Treasure of the Indus
13 Jan, 2025

Treasure of the Indus

THE Indus dolphin, or bulhan as it is known locally, is a remarkable species found only in the Indus River. Unlike...
Increased inflows
Updated 12 Jan, 2025

Increased inflows

Govt must devise a strategy to increase industrial and agricultural productivity to boost exports and reduce reliance on uncertain remittances.
Gwadar’s potential
12 Jan, 2025

Gwadar’s potential

THE Gwadar deep-sea port, completed in 2007, was supposed to be a shining success for the other newly built ports in...
Broken metropolis
12 Jan, 2025

Broken metropolis

KARACHI, Pakistan’s economic juggernaut, is the largest contributor to the nation’s tax revenue. The Federal...