INDIA, PAKISTAN and the
United States face a common
threat for the first time ever in
the Taliban, US special
representative Richard
Holbrooke said in Delhi as he
wound up a fact-finding trip to
the region.
"For the first time in 60
years, your country, Pakistan
and the US all face an enemy
that poses direct threats to our
leaderships, our capitals and
our people," he said after meeting Pranab Mukherjee.
"I do want to underscore the
fact that what happened in
Swat demonstrates a key point
and that is that India, US and
Pakistan all have a common
threat now."
In a meeting at the US
ambassador's residence,
Holbrooke wanted to know
what India would do in case it
faced another Mumbai-style
attack.
He told the gathering that
Washington had far more influence over Islamabad than New
Delhi. He said the Obama administration
was trying hard to re-orient the
Pakistan army from a conventional
mould into a counter-insurgency
force, one participant at the meeting
told HT He was also keen on eliciting
.
responses on how India and Indians
assessed the recent Pakistani investigation into the Mumbai attacks. “I
carried no messages or guidance. I
just wanted to hear the views of India
on a wide range of issues,” he said.
Speaking to reporters about his
visit to Pakistan last week,
Holbrooke said, “When I was in the
tribal areas and, I did not go to Swat
but I was in Peshawar. I talked to people from Swat... They were frankly
quite terrified.” He said the virtual
takeover of Swat had “really deeply
,
affected the people of Pakistan not
just in Peshawar, but in Lahore and
in Islamabad”.
A South Block official said Indian
interlocutors had a useful exchange
of views with Holbroooke; kicking
off a process of consultations which
would continue.
tushar@hindustantimes.com
INDIA, PAKISTAN and the
United States face a common
threat for the first time ever in
the Taliban, US special
representative Richard
Holbrooke said in Delhi as he
wound up a fact-finding trip to
the region.
"For the first time in 60
years, your country, Pakistan
and the US all face an enemy
that poses direct threats to our
leaderships, our capitals and
our people," he said after meet-
ing Pranab Mukherjee.
"I do want to underscore the
fact that what happened in
Swat demonstrates a key point
and that is that India, US and
Pakistan all have a common
threat now."
In a meeting at the US
ambassador's residence,
Holbrooke wanted to know
what India would do in case it
faced another Mumbai-style
attack.
He told the gathering that
Washington had far more influ-
ence over Islamabad than New
Delhi. He said the Obama administration
was trying hard to re-orient the
Pakistan army from a conventional
mould into a counter-insurgency
force, one participant at the meeting
told HT He was also keen on eliciting
.
responses on how India and Indians
assessed the recent Pakistani inves-
tigation into the Mumbai attacks. “I
carried no messages or guidance. I
just wanted to hear the views of India
on a wide range of issues,” he said.
Speaking to reporters about his
visit to Pakistan last week,
Holbrooke said, “When I was in the
tribal areas and, I did not go to Swat
but I was in Peshawar. I talked to peo-
ple from Swat... They were frankly
quite terrified.” He said the virtual
takeover of Swat had “really deeply
,
affected the people of Pakistan not
just in Peshawar, but in Lahore and
in Islamabad”.
A South Block official said Indian
interlocutors had a useful exchange
of views with Holbroooke; kicking
off a process of consultations which
would continue.
tushar@hindustantimes.com