Pakistan's federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Wednesday that the United States would have launched an operation in Wana, South Waziristan, to eliminate Al-Qaeda militants and Taleban remnants had Pakistan not acted swiftly against the terrorists.
"You can clean the rathole out, or we'll clean it out for you."
"Okay! Okay! Cheeze! We'll do it!"
"And no tribal lashkar drums!" |
Speaking to Arab News at an iftar reception, Rashid said Americans had plans to go after the Al-Qaeda suspects in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. "The government never wanted to interfere in the tribal regions given the fiercely independent nature of the people there. But after the Sept. 11 attacks in America and the fall of the Taleban, a large number of Al-Qaeda suspects and Taleban remnants sneaked into our tribal regions and found sanctuary there with the help and support of some tribal elders," he said. "Pakistan came under tremendous pressure but it was mainly because of our national interests that we launched the operation to flush out terrorists. It was not because of outside pressure that we acted against the Al-Qaeda suspects."
| "No, no! Certainly not! We got our dignity, y'know!" |
He said Pakistan deployed troops on its borders with Afghanistan to pre-empt any infiltration by Taleban remnants from the other side of the border. "Nevertheless, some terrorists managed to sneak into our territory. We offered the militants amnesty if they surrendered, but they did not heed our offer."
| "That's why we were providing covering fire for them when they'd stage attacks into Afghanistan. It was a confidence-building measure!" |
 "We learned after clashes in Angore Adda — the most volatile area in Wana — that seven of the militants killed carried prize money on their heads," the minister said. Subsequent clashes, seizure of CDs and attempts on President Pervez Musharraf's life made it clear that a terror network was operating in Wana and had members across the country who were involved in bomb blasts and other terror activities. Some of the most wanted terrorists were arrested on information gleaned from militants captured in Wana," Rashid said. Responding to a question Rashid said the Wana operation would continue until all terrorists are eliminated. Rashid said: "As Muslims, we believe in jihad. But we should differentiate between jihad and terrorism. It is the moral duty of our religious and political leaders to differentiate between jihad and terrorism."
| "I'm not sure what the difference is, but we'll keep looking for it..." |
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