US-Pak tension continues over Mehsud killing

After the "highly successful" US visit of Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif nearly a fortnight ago, there is "tension" in the relationship between the two countries over the alleged killing of Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsud, in a drone attack last week.

"We continue to have tensions in our relationship, and we work through them because we have so many important shared bilateral interests, and those are economic and security related," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney said yesterday.

"It is in both nations' interests, we believe, to strengthen the relationship between our two countries, which is what we're trying to do," Carney said responding to questions on the death of Mehsud.

The United States continues to neither confirm nor deny the death of Tehrik-e Taliban (TTP) leader Mehsud. The US had declared a reward of $5 million on him and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) considered him as one of the world's most wanted terrorists.

"I'm not going to confirm those reports one way or the other about Hakimullah Mehsud," State Department Deputy- Spokesperson, Marie Harf, told reporters.

Carney too did not confirm the drone strike that killed Mehsud, in line with normal practice in such attacks, but said that the TTP leader had a long list of extremist credentials, including a failed bombing in Times Square, New York, in 2010.

"I think, I can be clear that Hakimullah Mehsud was considered the commander of the TTP -- that's the Pakistan Taliban -- the group that claimed responsibility for the failed bombing in Times Square in New York City in May of 2010," Carney said.

Hakimullah and other TTP leaders had publicly vowed to continue targeting the United States and Americans, he said.

He was also wanted in the murder of seven Americans and injuring six others on December 30, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost Province of Afghanistan.

 

The US has reportedly admitted to tensions with Pakistan but defended its killing of the Tehreek-e-Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud in the drone strike carried out last week.

Pakistan views the killing of Mehsud as a hindrance to the nation's efforts in tackling the long standing issue of terrorism through peace talks, and summoned the US Ambassador Richard G Olson to the Foreign Office to formally protest the attack.

Carney further revealed that Mehsud and his associates had publicly vowed to continue targeting the United States and Americans.

Meanwhile, TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said that the Pakistani government and the armed forces were 'slaves of America' and there was now no scope for a peace dialogue with them.