NYT : U.S. Official in Pakistan for Talks

U.S. Official in Pakistan for Talks

By CARLOTTA GALL | September 13, 2007

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept.12 — Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, arriving in Pakistan for two days of talks during a political crackdown and increased violence in the border areas, called for a peaceful democratic transition from military rule but pointedly did not criticize Monday’s deportation of an opposition leader.

Mr. Negroponte was attending discussions with the Foreign Ministry on strategic relations between Pakistan and the United States, covering terrorism issues and general assistance, but his trip comes at a tense political moment in Pakistan. Hundreds of opposition political leaders and workers have been detained in the last few days as the president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, prepares to register as a candidate for another term at the end of this week.

The deportation was of one of his strongest political opponents, Nawaz Sharif, who was sent back into exile in Saudi Arabia, a move that other opposition leaders have denounced as illegal and contrary to a recent Supreme Court ruling allowing his return. Many of the leaders of the Mr. Sharif’s party and allied opposition leaders have been placed in detention or under house arrest for 30 days under a public maintenance order.

The opposition politician and former cricketer, Imran Khan — who has become one of the most vocal critics of General Musharraf, and his coalition supporters, the Muttahida Quami Movement — was prevented from holding a rally in the southern port city of Karachi, and was turned back when he arrived at the airport. Government officials said he was stopped from going into the city to avoid traffic problems and preserve public order.

Mr. Negroponte avoided comment on the political crackdown and said Mr. Sharif’s deportation was an internal issue for Pakistan. “This is a legal matter for the government and the people of Pakistan to decide and our only wish is that whatever is done, be done in a peaceful manner, and that it lead to a peaceful and democratic political evolution in this country,” he said at a joint news conference with Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan, the senior official under the foreign minister.

Mr. Negroponte gave a clear indication that the Bush administration continued to support a plan for a powersharing agreement between another opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, and General Musharraf that would allow him to continue as president for another term. “We are supportive of a political process that is peaceful,” he said. “We look forward to democratic elections being held in Pakistan quite shortly and we think it is quite important that there be a smooth and democratic political transition.” Ms. Bhutto has stressed that she is looking to work out with General Musharraf a smooth transition to democracy, whereas Mr. Sharif is seeking the general’s removal from power.

Foremost in the discussions at the Foreign Ministry were security and cooperation in the campaign against terrorism, and Mr. Negroponte’s visit comes in the middle of an unusually embarrassing situation for Pakistan’s military. Some 270 soldiers and members of the tribal paramilitary forces captured 10 days ago remain in the hands of Taliban militants in the tribal region of South Waziristan. The military has had to enlist the help of tribal elders to try to negotiate their freedom, without success so far.

Violence has worsened in the region as militants have sought to spread their influence and ward off military operations, but there is also a growing opposition to military actions in the border areas, and analysts are describing the capture of the military in South Waziristan as a sign of the low morale in the military and their reluctance to fight militants who they are their own people.

Today, 12 members of the Frontier Constabulary, a border security force, were captured by militants from a checkpoint in Bannu just outside the North Waziristan region. The men have been placed to prevent infiltration from the tribal areas into the lower lying areas of the frontier province but were overwhelmed by militants coming from the tribal area.

Also, a military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad said 30 to 40 militants had been killed today in helicopter strikes in the Shawal area of South Waziristan, but the report could not be independently confirmed. A teenage suicide bomber killed himself and 17 people as police tried to apprehend him Tuesday in the town of Dera Ismail Khan on the edge of the tribal areas.

Foreign Secretary Khan acknowledged that of Al Qaeda members were in the tribal areas, but insisted that Pakistan was pursuing operations against them. “There is presence of Al Qaeda there is no doubt about it, but there are no safe havens,” he said. “We are determined not to allow any such elements to use our territory.”

He said 1,000 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in operations in the tribal areas in recent years, and said it was a sign of Pakistan’s commitment to fighting militancy.