Pakistan suffered heavy losses in Mehran base attack: US envoy
Says media perception of Pak-US ties does not match ground realities
Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
ISLAMABAD: The US ambassador has conceded that Pakistan suffered the loss of precious personnel and two exceptionally prized Orion 3 PC multi-role naval planes in the attack on Mehran Base in Karachi Sunday evening due to its frontline role in the war on terror.
The world should acknowledge this role, said Cameron C Munter while talking to The News exclusively at the introductory reception hosted by the new Japanese ambassador in Islamabad Hiroshi Oe Wednesday evening in a local hotel.
Munter said that his country would stand by Pakistan in hard times. Mrs. Midori Oe, wife of the Japanese ambassador, also acted as host where she and her spouse keenly received the guests.
The US envoy was asked about the US responsibilities for provision of the replacement of the losses at Mehran Base; he opted to keep quiet about the proposition and said it is beyond his mandate to response to the query. He was of the view that Pakistan has rendered tremendous sacrifices for elimination of extremism and terrorism. The US ambassador who came with his wife was in pleasant disposition and said that he has been asked and discussed various questions about terrorism, extremism, nuclear things and mutual ties of the two countries here on various occasions but to him the most conspicuous question is about the economy. “I personally and honestly feel that if the economy of Pakistan is put on the correct track, all such problems could be addressed automatically and smoothly.”
Former prime minister and president of his own faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain intervened at this stage of conversation and had exchanged pleasantries with the US envoy who felicitated the Chaudhary on joining the government and said he has done a good job by taking the decision that would go a long way in the well being of this country. Chaudhary Shujaat said that his partyÂ’s joining the government has put all speculations about the government and system to rest as uncertainty was hurting the country.
The ambassador was of the view that the relations between the government and government and Armed Forces of the two countries and the people have no problem since they are moving ahead in peculiar way but the perception being disseminated by the media does not match with the facts on the ground. Federal minister for interfaith harmony Akram Masih Gill was also with Chaudhary Shujaaat Hussain.
To a query the ambassador said that no schedule has been determined for the visit of US Secretary of State Ms. Hillary Clinton to Pakistan but she could come to this part of the world some time next month. “When I come to know about her programme for visiting Pakistan through the newspaper, I always call her to verify it but unfortunately it turned up to be not true,” he said in a lighter tone. He said that outgoing US Chief of the General Staff Admiral Mike Mullen’s replacement has not been finalised but he will visit Pakistan before relinquishing the assignment, as he is a regular visitor of Pakistan. Likewise ISAF Commander General David Petraeus and Leon Panetta will also like to visit to Pakistan before assuming their respective new assignments as head of the CIA and secretary defence but it could take some time, he added.
The US envoy who had an important meeting with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on the day he returned from China’s trip with Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani last week, said that Beijing has given very good piece of advice to Islamabad about maintaining its contacts with Washington. “The dialogue and interaction are always a productive way of dealing,” he added.
Cameron Munter was also in Kabul when Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir attended trilateral talks with the United States and Afghanistan yesterday (Tuesday). The US envoy also referred to the joint news conference by the US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron in London today (Wednesday) wherein the two had eulogized Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror and expressed their resolve to standby Pakistan in difficult times.
In a lighter tone, Ambassador Cameron Munter said that if you wish to have peace and harmony at home, you should marry to a smarter and more charming lady than yourself. “It helps you in getting away number of complications and provides few comforts,” he said with broad laughter and maintained that ‘I am saying it on the record.’ He also shared the quip with his wife who was standing at a distance.
Source: The News
Date:5/26/2011
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