Clinton Dubious of Pak’s Commitment on Al-Qaeda

Questioning Pakistan’s commitment to fight against al-Qaeda, US Secretary for State Hillary Clinton has said that she found it difficult to believe that on one in the government knows where senior figures have taken hides.

The comment came in a meeting with newspaper editors in Lahore on Thursday, held as a part of a three-day visit to the country.

“I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn’t get them if they really wanted to,” she said. “Maybe that’s the case. Maybe they’re not gettable. I don’t know.”

It may be mentioned that top al-Qaeda leaders are widely believed to be hiding in a far-flung mountainous region along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

Clinton said that the dreadful terror outfit had enjoyed a “safe haven” in Pakistan since 2002.

Clinton’s current visit to Pakistan is aimed at tackling the anti-American sentiment which is said to be undermining its allies in the Pakistan government.

“I am more than willing to hear every complaint about the United States,” Clinton said.

“But this is a two-way street. If we are going to have a mature partnership where we work together” then “there are issues that not just the United States but others have with your government and with your military security establishment.”

Clinton was keen to hail the US relationship with Pakistan.

“What we have together is far greater than what divided us,” she told students at Lahore University, referring to her relations with Barack Obama, the US president.

“And that is what I feel about the United States and Pakistan.”