8/13/2019 US Prevented Disclosure of Pakistan_s Rights Abuses - Report (3rd Sept 2013)

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US prevented disclosure ofPakistans rights abuses: repor t

US intelligence reports said senior Pakistani military and intelligence officials

knew of and possibly ordered a broad campaign of extrajudicial killings of

militants and other adversaries, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday,

adding that public disclosure of such information could have forced the

Obama administration to sever aid to the Pakistani armed forces on account

of a US law that prohibits military assistance to human rights abusers.

These reports are based on communications intercepts from 2010 to 2012

and other intelligence in classified documents provided to it by former

National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

The documents indicate that administration officials decided not to press the

issue so as to preserve its relationship with Pakistan which was already

frayed at the time.

The Post moreover reported that US spy agencies had also shifted their

attention to what they classified as dangers surfacing outside Pakistani areas

patrolled by CIA drones.

It reported that the US had intensified surveillance of Pakistan's nuclear

weapons, has been concerned about biological and chemical arms sites there

and has been trying to evaluate the loyalty of Pakistani counter-terrorism

agents recruited by the CIA.

The paper was quoting from a 178-page summary of what it called the US

intelligence community's black budget provided to it by Snowden.

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8/13/2019 US Prevented Disclosure of Pakistan_s Rights Abuses - Report (3rd Sept 2013)

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3 rd Sept 2013

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If the Americans are expanding their surveillance capabilities, it can only

mean one thing, said Husain Haqqani, who served as Pakistan's

ambassador to the US from 2008 to 2011.

The mistrust now exceeds the trust.

America has delivered nearly $26 billion in aid to Pakistan over the past 12

years, with the money aimed at stabilising the country and ensuring its

cooperation in counterterrorism efforts, the paper said.

However, as classified documents reveal new allegations of human rights

abuses by the Pakistan army, a spokeswoman for the National SecurityCouncil seems to have played it down in the Post report saying the United

States would continue to work closely with Pakistan's professional and

dedic ated security forces in order to combat the challenging security issues

in Pakistan.

Spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden in a statement said the US is committed to a

long-term partnership with Pakistan, and we remain fully engaged in

building a relationship that is based on mutual interests and mutual

respect.

We have an ongoing strategic dialogue that addresses in a realistic fashion

many of the key issues between us, from border management to

counterterrorism, from nuclear security to promoting trade and inves tment,

Hayden said.

The United States and Pakistan share a strategic interest in combating the

challenging security issues in Pakistan, and we continue to work closely with

Pakistan's professional and dedicated security forces to do so.