‘Pakistanis in the driver’s seat against Taliban on their soil’-Gates

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Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

‘Pakistanis in the driver’s seat against Taliban on their soil’

* Gates says US confident of Pakistan’s nuclear arms’ safety
* Claims Al Qaeda helping Pakistani Taliban to destabilise govt

WASHINGTON: Calling Pakistan’s anti-militancy efforts over the last year “terrific”, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Pakistanis are in the driver’s seat in combating Taliban on their soil.

He said Pakistan would carry the fight forward at its own pace and in its own way.

In an interview with FOX News, Gates also reaffirmed Washington’s confidence in the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.

“They’re going to go at their own pace and in their own way. We will help them as much as possible,” he remarked about Pakistan’s efforts on Tuesday.

“And I told them when I was out there a couple of weeks ago, that, ‘You know, we’re in this car together, but we recognise on your side of the border, you’re in the driver’s seat and you’ve got your foot on the accelerator’,” he added, referring to the country’s anti-Taliban efforts along the Pak-Afghan border.

“But I think there has been an improvement in coordination. And frankly, I think the Pakistanis have done a terrific job. They’ve lost a lot of people, at least 3,000 soldiers,” he told the channel, citing Islamabad’s successful actions against Taliban in Swat and South Waziristan regions.

Gates said Washington must reassure the country of a reliable long-term relationship to address complaints of past betrayals.

“We just have to have a long-term approach to Pakistan that reassures them that we are a long-time, reliable ally for Pakistan, we’re going to be there with them and for them going into the future. And in every aspect – politically, economically, and so on.”

Weapons: To a question on the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in the country, Gates reiterated his confidence, saying, “I would just echo what the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said. We’re comfortable with the security.”

Destabilise:Gates claimed that Al Qaeda, the Taliban in Pakistan, and the Taliban in Afghanistan are all working together and argued that the problem should be attacked as a whole.

“Al Qaeda is helping the Pakistani Taliban to destabilise the Pakistani government. There is evidence that Al Qaeda is helping them plan these attacks, the targeting, the training capabilities and so on.” app