Participants: Sami Yousufzai (Senior Journalist); Imran Khan (PTI)
Topic: Visit of Secretary Hillary Clinton and Admiral Mike Mullen
Excerpts:
Host: In her meetings with Pakistani military and civilian leadership, during today's visit to Islamabad, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear to her hosts that they would have to take decisive measures against the terrorists present in the country. The visiting U.S. officials acknowledged that top Pakistani leadership was unaware about Osama's presence in Abbottabad. Secretary Clinton said that her country's relations with Pakistan are of utmost importance and that these ties will further strengthen in the coming years.
What was the real agenda of this visit by Secretary Hillary Clinton and Admiral Mike Mullen? Did they come here to explore the ways to remove mutual misunderstandings between the governments of the two countries or to learn about Pakistan's reservations, and to express those of the United States? Has this visit produced the desired results?
Imran Khan: I have said repeatedly that the Pakistan-U.S. relations have not been based on the principle of parity and mutual respect. It is a master-slave relationship cultivated by the Americans to achieve their national goals. Our partnership with the United States is tactical not strategic. They hire our services in exchange for dollars. Our leadership has always ignored Pakistan's own long-term interests. Consequently, Washington dictates our governments to act according to its will, no matter if it's against our own interests. This subservient attitude of the Pakistani leaders has given rise to strong popular reaction in the country. Today, no part of the country is immune from bomb blasts and suicide bombings. In fact, these incidents are the direct reaction to our government's servitude to the American hegemony which has virtually turned Pakistan into client state of the U.S. By joining the so-called war against terrorism, our leaders have turned this country into hell. Ironically, the Americans themselves are negotiating with the Afghan Taliban while, at the same time, they are not ready to use this channel to politically engage our own alienated people. Now, after the terrorist attack on Mehran naval base, they are spreading rumors that Pakistan's nuclear weapons may end up in the hands of extremist elements.
Host: Is there any evidence that the U.S. is negotiating with the Afghan Taliban?
Sami Yousufzai: I think the Americans have started sincere efforts to engage the Taliban in political dialogue.
After Osama bin Laden's death, the Afghan Taliban have no complications in negotiating with the United States. Now, I think, they also can show their readiness to compromise on certain issues. On the other hand, the Americans also think that they have achieved their stated goal – the killing of Osama bin Laden and dismantling al-Qaeda to the extent that it will not be able to perpetrate any major terrorist attack. The time has come for them to get out the Afghanistan quagmire, which is costing them heavily in terms of human and financial losses. Washington also seems convinced that the Taliban's links with al-Qaeda remnants also have been considerably weakened. On the hand, there also are indications that the Taliban, too, are ready for some sort of a power-sharing arrangement in the future ruling setup in their country. Hence, it is quite possible that both sides may reach some agreement regarding the future of Afghanistan.
Host: There are reports that the Americans are preparing to withdraw their forces from Afghanistan. Have they devised any face-saving strategy in this regard?
Imran Khan: I think that Osama's killing has provided the U.S. a rare and golden opportunity to leave Afghanistan. They were facing a humiliating defeat there. But now they can tell their people that the real goal of the war has been achieved. In fact, Osama's death has provided them an excellent face-saving strategy.
America's further stay in Afghanistan will result in more destabilization of Pakistan. We're already seeing that,following Osama's killing, the bomb blasts in our cities and on our sensitive installations have become almost a daily-life routine.