US Special Envoy Refuses to Brook Pak Insinuations
Lashing out at Islamabad, US Special Envoy to the region Richard Holbrooke advised Pakistan to focus on militancy within its borders rather than worrying over Indian presence in Afghanistan, the top Obama aide was speaking to Geo TV in an interview at the US State Department offices in Washington.
Holbrooke blunted Islamabad insinuations of India backing extremists in its territories.
“Pakistan does not have to worry about India in Afghanistan. They need to worry about the miscreants in western Pakistan,” Holbrooke was quoted as saying by PTI citing the interview.
“Now if the Indians were supporting those miscreants, that would be extraordinarily bad (and) really dangerous. But they’re not. There is no evidence at all that the Indians are supporting the miscreants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas or North West Frontier Province or Waziristan. None,” he said.
Responding to queries on Pakistani fears over India’s presence in Afghanistan, Holbrooke noted Indian efforts in the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country.
“India has given Afghanistan about USD 1 billion in assistance. They’re rebuilding the parliament building, they’ve built a very useful road in the southwestern part of the country leading down towards Iran. They’re training agricultural experts, they’re giving scholarships. The Indians have published a pamphlet on what they’re doing. I don’t think that should be cause of concern for Pakistan,” he said.
