ISLAMABAD: Playing cool to Washington’s move to partially withhold and cut security assistance for Pakistan, the army said on Monday that cooperation with the United States against terrorism would continue.
“ISI-CIA collaboration will not be affected by the announcement, because we believe that Al Qaeda and its affiliates are common enemies of the US and Pakistan, who have to be eliminated,” a senior military official told Dawn.
He was responding to a question about confirmation by White House Chief of Staff William Daley that $800 million in military
aid was being suspended and in certain cases cancelled because of ‘some steps’ taken by Pakistan military.
Although the media suggested that the suspension and cut in security assistance was in retaliation for Pakistan army’s decision to send back 100 US trainers after the May 2 covert raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, both US and Pakistani officials said it was not just because of visas.
Joint Services Headquarters, which authorises issuance of visas to US military and intelligence personnel based in the country, has refused to issue no-objection certification for some 229 visa applications after the Abbottabad operation. But subsequently under a new visa regime for American personnel, which involves intense scrutiny and documentation, over one third of the required visas have already been issued.
The deterioration in military ties with the US is one of the issues the army’s top brass will discuss at a meeting to be presided over by Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at the General Headquarters on Tuesday.
A formal response to the aid suspension is expected at the end of the corps commanders’ meeting, but it is being anticipated that the army will reaffirm its resolve to continue its fight against militants in tribal areas and to work together with the US in
eliminating the terrorist threat.
Both the countries have lurched from one crisis to another since the start of the year but have successfully avoided a complete breakdown because of high stakes involved in the relationship.
“We will continue operations against terrorists by using our own resources as we did in the past, because we feel very strongly that Al Qaeda and its affiliates are common threat to Pakistan and the world at large,” military spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said.
He said it would be premature to say how the aid suspension and cancellation would affect army’s capabilities to fight terrorists because the US was yet to share details and breakdown of the $800 million security aid its plans to hold back.
Notwithstanding Gen Abbas’ assertion that Pakistanis are yet to be officially notified about the decision, the move was not
unexpected either. Through a letter the US has cautioned Pakistani military leaders about a whole range of consequences, including a delay in Coalition Support Fund reimbursements, stoppage of supply of military spares and equipments and halting of intelligence sharing, if it fails to fully accept its demands.
In addition to the CSF reimbursements of expenditures incurred by the army for supporting US military operations, the
American security assistance also comes through the Pakistan Counter-Insurgency Capability Fund (PCCF).
Pakistan, a military official said, had not received any CSF reimbursement since July last year and over $1 billion was outstanding, while a large part of the PCCF formed a package, including trainers, who had already been sent back. “Aid with
conditions is not acceptable and we don’t wish to be put in a dock on a regular basis to qualify for the aid,” the official said.
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