Parliamentary secretary's views not of government, says FO
| Really? He's not parliamentary secretary of the government? |
The United States embassy here has reacted strongly to the remarks made by Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Maj (r) Tanveer Hussain Syed against the country in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Online reported.
| "Are you people crazy?... Ummm... Wait. Forget I asked that question. And tell that man to quit playing with his lips like that. It's frightening." |
US embassy spokeswoman Elizabeth Colton said in a statement on Wednesday that Syed's remarks were "outrageous" and "reprehensible".
| Does that means we're going to reprehend him? Or that that Paks should reprehend him? |
Participating in a debate on Pakistan's foreign policy in the NA, Syed had urged the government to announce jihad against India and the US.
| Brilliant. The man's brilliant. They've fought half a dozen wars with the Indians, lost them all, and now he wants to fight both India and the U.S. |
"These statements are outrageous and stoopid highly reprehensible. The parliamentarian has leveled allegations that are completely unfounded and irresponsible," Colton said in a statement.
| "The man's obviously a loonatic. But then, that's not uncommon in Pakistain, is it?" |
Staff Report adds: Meanwhile, the Foreign Office distanced itself from the statement made by the parliamentary defence secretary in parliament on Tuesday.
| "He ain't with us. Somebody left him here." |
Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said that Syed's remarks were an individual's views and do not represent the government's policy.
| ... even though he's a part of the government. |
Daily Times Monitor adds: US State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said at a regular press briefing in Washington that fighting terrorism, both by the Taliban and Al Qaeda, was the responsibility of all countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.
| "Unless Pakistain decides to change sides, of course. In that case, it will be the responsibility of all countries to fight terrorism by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and the multitude of terror organizations within Pakistain, to include its government." |
Answering a question concerning the contradiction between Balochistan Governor Owais Ghani's statement that there were no Taliban or Al Qaeda in Balochistan or Pakistan and Afghan President Hamid Karzai's reiteration of Taliban hideouts in Pakistan, Casey said there were definitely "problems in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas in terms of militant activity".
| "That's mainly because those people wear their turbans entirely too tight." |
|