Central Information Secretary PTI, Shireen Mazari, today criticised the government for trying to fool the people once again on the issue of drones. She said while the nation was informed by the Interior Minister that the US Ambassador was being summoned to the Foreign Office to be handed a demarche, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took no such action. The Ambassador was simply called for a meeting and the Pakistani people learnt from the US State Department that no demarche had been given! This is indeed shameful, Mazari said, that the government is not scared of lying to its own people but is petrified of conveying the nation's outrage to the US. According to one credible news report, "the government does not want to annoy the US". But it is quite comfortable with annoying its own people, Mazari commented.

Or, Mazari asked, "should we assume there is a disconnect within the ranks of the PMLN government with Ch Nisar taking a strong nationalist position against US actions and the PM too timid to upset the US?"

Mazari also pointed to the news appearing in the press, that the government also knew that Hakimullah would be targeted but this threat was not discussed in the Nawaz-Obama meeting because of advice from "the Establishment". If this is correct, the government needs to explain why this advice was given.

In any case Mazari demanded the government come clean on exactly what its policy is post the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud. This is vital in view of the APC mandate for stopping drones and commencing a dialogue for peace.

Source