By Saeed Minhas
ISLAMABAD: Praising the resilience of the people of Pakistan during the recent floods and commending the role of the Pakistan Army in rescue and relief operations, US Envoy for Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said that that the civilian government was doing a tremendous job of taking along all the political forces. “The US poses its full confidence in their abilities and intentions. Therefore, I do not see bad governance as an issue here. It’s just the enormity of the disaster that I believe no government in the world could have handled this kind of disaster,” Holbrooke said.
However, he said Pakistan needed to improve its revenue collection, so that the world could see some seriousness on part of the government.
To a question about funneling of relief aid through UN agencies and not through the government, Holbrook said, “We are giving aid to institutions we believe can do the relief work, while some of our aid is also going directly to the government.”
“US will stand side by side with Pakistani people in this hour of need. We have contributed generously to the relief efforts and would certainly do more for the rehabilitation by mobilising other countries as well as individuals like Angelina Jolie and UN officials to pitch them in to help during reconstruction phase,” the envoy said.
To a question, the special envoy said that out of three major elements of the US involvement in Pakistan (aid, business and trade), both aid and business fronts were going satisfactory.
“But the single most frustrating concern for me is the slow progress on trade and we are trying to push this through our Congress and through European countries,” he said.
Holbrooke said that the US government was working to speed up the payment of coalition support funds (CSF). “However, work the on Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) is frustratingly slow because of stringent laws of the US and European Union,” he said.
US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said on Friday that US had always contended that Taliban who renounced al Qaeda would be welcomed back in Afghan politics. Responding to a question about the French foreign minister’s recent claim that Mullah Omar was in Pakistan, Holbrooke said, “Yes, the secretary of state (Hilary Clinton) has also said the same thing, but I don’t know where Mullah Omer is.” To a question about the ongoing violence in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), Holbrooke said, “We cannot mediate between India and Pakistan because New Delhi does not want so.” However, he said the US would encourage any bilateral engagements instead of “being drawn into this controversy”.
ISLAMABAD: Praising the resilience of the people of Pakistan during the recent floods and commending the role of the Pakistan Army in rescue and relief operations, US Envoy for Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said that that the civilian government was doing a tremendous job of taking along all the political forces. “The US poses its full confidence in their abilities and intentions. Therefore, I do not see bad governance as an issue here. It’s just the enormity of the disaster that I believe no government in the world could have handled this kind of disaster,” Holbrooke said.
However, he said Pakistan needed to improve its revenue collection, so that the world could see some seriousness on part of the government.
To a question about funneling of relief aid through UN agencies and not through the government, Holbrook said, “We are giving aid to institutions we believe can do the relief work, while some of our aid is also going directly to the government.”
“US will stand side by side with Pakistani people in this hour of need. We have contributed generously to the relief efforts and would certainly do more for the rehabilitation by mobilising other countries as well as individuals like Angelina Jolie and UN officials to pitch them in to help during reconstruction phase,” the envoy said.
To a question, the special envoy said that out of three major elements of the US involvement in Pakistan (aid, business and trade), both aid and business fronts were going satisfactory.
“But the single most frustrating concern for me is the slow progress on trade and we are trying to push this through our Congress and through European countries,” he said.
Holbrooke said that the US government was working to speed up the payment of coalition support funds (CSF). “However, work the on Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) is frustratingly slow because of stringent laws of the US and European Union,” he said.
US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said on Friday that US had always contended that Taliban who renounced al Qaeda would be welcomed back in Afghan politics. Responding to a question about the French foreign minister’s recent claim that Mullah Omar was in Pakistan, Holbrooke said, “Yes, the secretary of state (Hilary Clinton) has also said the same thing, but I don’t know where Mullah Omer is.” To a question about the ongoing violence in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), Holbrooke said, “We cannot mediate between India and Pakistan because New Delhi does not want so.” However, he said the US would encourage any bilateral engagements instead of “being drawn into this controversy”.
(Daily Times)
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