Pak-US joint team to craft new strategy

ISLAMABAD " Pakistan on Tuesday asked for 'dialogue' with 'reconcilable' elements in the ranks of militants to combat terrorism while expressing deep concern over the US drone attacks on the tribal areas.
The US envoy Richard Holbrooke, who reached Islamabad Monday on his maiden visit to the region to seek new ways to fight the threat of Al-Qaeda and Taliban, held separate meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
Pakistani leaders conveyed their opposition to repeated drone attacks while describing them less advantageous and counterproductive.
The US envoy and Pakistani officials, nonetheless, agreed to form US and Pakistani inter-agency teams that would be led by Holbrooke and Foreign Minister Qureshi as part of the review of anti-terrorism policy.
Islamabad and Washington will decide later when the two teams will hold their first meeting.
In his meeting with the US official, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the teams would review all the policies and design the new strategy because they felt that for any futuristic strategy meant to be effective in Afghanistan, it could not be done in isolation. "Pakistan has to be on board," he added.
He said Pakistan and US would restore the moral fibre that was lacking in the global war against terror.
The teams will be broadly constituted having representation of all stakeholders including the military arm of the government.
In meeting with Pakistani leaders, Holbrook said that he had come to listen to the Pakistani leadership to understand the ground situation.
He said he was neither carrying any messages from his leadership nor had any demands to make.
He said the US, despite its economic difficulties would fully support Pakistan in overcoming its current economic problems.
Speaking about the talks with the US envoy at a press conference here with Information Minister Sherry Rehman, Foreign Minister Qureshi said the meetings were 'excellent, frank' and 'a new beginning' in which Pakistan called for a 'multi-pronged and comprehensive' approach to fight extremism and terrorism.
Pointing to expected military surge by US against the militants in Afghanistan's border areas, Qureshi said, "These have implications. We have to sit together to understand the implications of the military surge and how to deal with it."
He said, "Though the military surge is required, it will not be enough if it is not accompanied by a civilian surge."
"And by a civilian surge, I mean greater focus on socioeconomic development, greater political engagement with the reconcilable elements," he said.
He said, "Obviously, there are some irreconcilable elements, and nobody wants to deal with them, neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan nor the US."
"But there are reconcilable elements and we should not overlook their importance and their significance," Qureshi added.
He said the United States and Pakistan had agreed to form US and Pakistani inter-agency teams that would be led by Holbrooke and Pakistani Foreign Minister as part of the review of policy to counter terrorism.
"We will sit with Ambassador Holbrooke and review their analysis of what went wrong in the last seven years," he said.
On drone attacks, the Foreign Minister said that the missile strikes were 'counterproductive' adding that the two sides should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the raids and decide on whether to continue that strategy.
When asked about the US envoy's response to Pakistan's opposition to drone attacks, Qureshi said that the special envoy was on a mission to hear more and talk less.
He said the Mumbai terror attacks did not figure in the discussions with the visiting US special envoy.
"In the interactions we had, Mumbai did not surface at all," he said when asked whether the Mumbai carnage for which India had blamed Pakistani elements figured in his discussions with Holbrooke.
As the US envoy started his visit to Pakistan, Poland said the militants that killed one of its citizens, a Polish engineer in Pakistani tribal areas, were supported by some Pakistani officials.
Foreign Minister Qureshi, however, firmly rejected the accusation while condemning the killing of Polish citizen as "absolutely barbaric".
He told the journalists that the Polish engineer was working to help the country's development.
"To do something like that is absolutely barbaric, the Government of Pakistan condemns it in the strongest possible terms, he said.
According to an official statement, Holbrook also requested the Pakistani leadership for assistance in locating and release of a foreign newspaper's journalist who had been abducted in Afghanistan.
Agencies add: Adviser to PM on Finance Shaukat Tarin held a meeting with US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke and discussed matters related to mutual interest on the occasion.
Talking to US envoy, he said that US should table Kerry-Lugar bill in the Congress for approval as soon as possible, as Pakistan has suffered loss worth US$65 billion so far in war against terrorism.
'US should also allow access of Pakistani products into its markets, he said, adding 'US should release funds for Pakistan's war against terrorism.'
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff Gen Parvez Kayani said that the security forces need more resources to combat terrorism and extremism ,adding, that US drone attacks in Tribal Areas are leaving negative impact on Pakistan's efforts to flush out terrorism.
COAS made these remarks while talking to US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke who called on him here on Tuesday.
Host of issues related to war against terrorism, military operation in FATA, Swat and Tribal Areas of the country, US drone attacks in Tribal Areas, trespassing of terrorists and extremism from Afghanistan especially from Kunar province to Pakistan, Pak-US military relations, intelligence sharing between us and Pakistan in length, a private TV channel reported.
According to military sources, the COAS told the US envoy that Pakistan wants peace in the region.
He also apprised visiting US envoy about the stance of Pakistan Army over drone attacks in tribal areas of the country, the sources said.
On the other hand, Holbrooke lauded the role of Pakistan in war against terrorism and extremism thus making it clear that US would boost military relations and intelligence sharing with Pak security forces.
Earlier, Gen Kayani and the US Ambassador Anne Patterson held separate meetings with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Gen Kayani in his meeting briefed the Prime Minister about the security situation in Swat and Tribal Areas and also updated him about operational strategy of the Army. They discussed the collective security situation of the country.
Later, Patterson also held meeting with the Prime Minister. During the meeting matters of mutual interest came under discussion.
Meanwhile, Holbrooke dispelled the notion that his visit agenda covered or even alluded to the Kashmir issue; but was rather limited to Pak-Afghan agenda.
During an informal chat with guests at the dinner hosted in his honour by US Ambassador Anne W Patterson, he said that India would never allow any third element to intervene or play any part in the Kashmir issue; and while he would also be visiting India, and would keep his eyes and ears alert, that would definitely not be for initiating any accord.
He termed Pak-Afghan issue as quiet a peculiar and problematic issue, and said that his next stop-over would be Afghanistan.
He said that Pakistan was an important country in the global community and as such US did not consider Pakistan as (volatile or vulnerable like) Gaza or Iraq.
'Pakistan would have to utilise all possible options, talents and resources to get out of this quagmire, while US would definitely assist Pakistan to any limits', he added.
He lauded the US ambassador Anne. W. Patterson as a very capable and prudent diplomat, and despite a massive reshuffle in US bureaucracy by President Obama, her services would be retained here.
Many prominent luminaries, including Speaker National Assembly, Fehmida Mirza, Information Minister Sherry Rehman, Parliamentarians Kashmala Tariq, Farah Naz, former Parliamentarians Humayun Qureshi, and members of civil society were invited, who were introduced to the distinguished visitor by US Ambassador.