Pakistan, Despite Its Role As a Top US Ally Against Terror. Musharraf
Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 10:53 am
WASHINGTON: Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf complained in an interview that Afghanistan was getting much more US aid than Pakistan, despite its role as a top US ally against terror.
Musharraf, who resigned in August under threat of impeachment, bristled at any suggested comparison between Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying that Pakistan “is a very established country” with a functional democracy that was only indirectly involved with terrorism.
“Terrorism … emanated from Afghanistan because of mujahedeen and militant Taliban are all products of Afghanistan. It is only support that they get from Pakistan,” he told US television in an interview.
“So let’s be very clear where terrorism is originating from.”
He said Pakistan’s efforts in the US-led fight against terror should be rewarded with greater assistance, although he said he was thankful for the 10 billion dollars Pakistan received while he was president.
Half of the US aid, Musharraf said, “are for facilities and services provided by Pakistan,” with an additional quarter for “military assistance” including “wear and tear” of equipment and the remaining quarter “for social development.”
But he said the amount was a pittance compared to what Pakistan’s neighbors were receiving.
“If you compare what you spent in Afghanistan, I believe I read an article where roughly 143 billion dollars .. have been spent in Afghanistan. What have you spent in Iraq? Maybe over a trillion dollars?”
“This is what hurts Pakistan. It hurts the leadership. Indeed, it hurts the government. It hurts the people of Pakistan that Pakistan is being treated so unequally while we are the ones who are in the lead role fighting the global war on terror,” he said.
Asked why Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has not been found yet in the tribal region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border where he is believed to be hiding, Musharraf shot back, saying it was not Pakistan’s business.
“I would like to ask the United States why he hasn’t been found. They have … more intelligence capability. I would like to ask the United States why (Taliban leader) Mullah Omar has not been found.”
Musharraf, however, admitted that there were “sanctuaries” in Pakistan for Al-Qaeda, which combined with the remote, mountainous terrain “makes the task difficult” of finding the militants.
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