No hidden motive behind army chief’s extended visit: US

Published December 3, 2014
This photo shows Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif shaking hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry. — Photo courtesy: Major General Asim Bajwa's Twitter account
This photo shows Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif shaking hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry. — Photo courtesy: Major General Asim Bajwa's Twitter account
The image shows the building of the US State Department.—AFP/file
The image shows the building of the US State Department.—AFP/file

WASHINGTON: The US State Department rejected on Tuesday the suggestion that Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif’s long stay in the United States had any hidden motive.

The department’s Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told a briefing in Washington that since US Secretary of State John Kerry was out of the country when Gen Sharif first came to Washington two weeks ago, the two sides decided to have the meeting on Nov 30.

She noted that Secretary Kerry was travelling in Europe when the army chief came.

When a reporter asked why should the army chief stay away for so long from a country which faced a serious security problem, she said: “I do not have any analysis to do that for you.”

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2014

Opinion

Budgeting without people

Budgeting without people

Even though the economy is a critical issue, discussions about it involve a select few who are not really interested in communicating with the people.

Editorial

Iranian tragedy
Updated 21 May, 2024

Iranian tragedy

Due to Iran’s regional and geopolitical influence, the world will be watching the power transition carefully.
Circular debt woes
21 May, 2024

Circular debt woes

THE alleged corruption and ineptitude of the country’s power bureaucracy is proving very costly. New official data...
Reproductive health
21 May, 2024

Reproductive health

IT is naïve to imagine that reproductive healthcare counts in Pakistan, where women from low-income groups and ...
Wheat price crash
Updated 20 May, 2024

Wheat price crash

What the government has done to Punjab’s smallholder wheat growers by staying out of the market amid crashing prices is deplorable.
Afghan corruption
20 May, 2024

Afghan corruption

AMONGST the reasons that the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul in August 2021 without any resistance to speak of ...
Volleyball triumph
20 May, 2024

Volleyball triumph

IN the last week, while Pakistan’s cricket team savoured a come-from-behind T20 series victory against Ireland,...