Wednesday, Dec 18, 2002
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By B. Muralidhar Reddy
In a brief talk with journalists after handing over radio and communication equipment worth $4.5 millions to the Pakistan Interior Minister, Faisal Saleh Hayat, Ms. Rocca went out of her way to appreciate the nature of cooperation from Pakistan in fighting terrorism. The handover of the equipment was symbolic of the importance the Bush administration attached to Pakistan, particularly in its hunt for the remnants of the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. It was a demonstration of the desire of Washington and Islamabad to continue the relationship despite opposition from the alliance of religious parties now ruling the Frontier and Baluchistan. Contrary to earlier indications that Ms. Rocca might use her visit for an interaction with leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), she stated that during the current trip she had no time for that. Ms. Rocca said an erroneous impression appeared to have been conveyed either by the State Department or the Pakistan Embassy in Washington. The equipment handed over by Ms. Rocca today was meant to enhance the capabilities of the Pakistan agencies involved in fighting terrorism. Earlier in the year, the U.S. had even supplied surveillance aircraft to the Pakistan Government for deployment on the Afghan borders. In support of her contention about the crucial role played by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism, Ms. Rocca said: "During the last one year, since the happenings of September 11, it has handed over 400 terrorists to the U.S. authorities. ``We fully trust the Pakistan Government and they are very much with us in the war against terrorism.'' The Interior and Narcotics Control Minister said in response to questions that the FBI was not carrying out operations anywhere in Pakistan. He claimed that the FBI was only sharing intelligence with the Pakistani authorities. The U.S. had been assisting Pakistan by providing training to policemen and technical assistance in cyber crimes. When asked about the release of Maulana Azhar Masood (chief of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad), Hafiz Saeed (former chief of the Lashkar-e-Taiba) and Maulana Azam Tariq (chief of a banned sectarian outfit), the Minister said the courts were independent and the Government had nothing to do with their release. He said the Government was in constant touch with the authorities at Guantanamo Bay to manage the early release of Pakistani detenus. This has been one of the contentious issues between Washington and Islamabad for several months now. Ms. Rocca presented the Interior Minister equipment worth $ 4.5 millions. This package was part of the U.S. Government's $73-million programme to enhance Pakistan's security. The equipment and accompanying U.S government-provided training was designed to allow Pakistani law enforcement agencies to better coordinate their operations and would provide a vital security link for forces deployed in remote areas. The latest communications package complimented the previous U.S. Government-donated equipment. During the day, Ms. Rocca called on the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister, Mir Zafrullah Khan Jamali. Incidentally, it was her first meeting with the newly-installed Mr. Jamali.
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