Pakistan: Let us hit drone targets
By Nasir Habib, reporting from Islamabad
The new chief of Pakistan's spy agency will urge the United States to end drone strikes on Pakistani soil and identify targets that the country's security forces can then attack, a senior intelligence official said.
Lt. Gen. Zahirul Islam will deliver the message during a meeting with the head of the CIA on August 2, said the Pakistani intelligence official, who did not want to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
"You (the U.S.) develop a target and let us hit it," Islam will tell CIA Director David Petraeus, the official said. "It would be ideal if the U.S. provides drone technology to Pakistan."
Islam's call will continue an ongoing refrain from Pakistan about the CIA's controversial drone program. Pakistani officials and lawmakers have demanded an immediate end to the drone strikes, saying they have led to civilian deaths.
In keeping with its general policy, the CIA would not comment on meetings between the Director and senior foreign officials, including whether the Pakistan intelligence chief will be in Washington on August 2nd to see the CIA Director.
A U.S. official did offer some perspective to CNN's Pam Benson on what actions the U.S. thinks Pakistan could take to combat terrorism.
“The US supports the Pakistanis taking more responsibility for ridding the tribal areas of al-Qaeda and its militant allies. There are several actions the Pakistanis could offer that would have an immediate impact on reclaiming parts of their country from al-Qaeda, the TTP, and the Haqqanis for good," the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity when discussing intelligence matters, said. "The Pakistanis clearly have had, and will have, opportunities to show they are serious about taking actions with a practical effect on rooting out terrorists
Pakistan: Let us hit drone targets – CNN Security Clearance - CNN.com Blogs
Pakistan To Propose Pak Drone Strikes On Militant Targets With US Monitoring
7/24/2012 6:05 AM ET
(RTTNews) - The new chief of Pakistan's spy agency is expected to urge the United States to end drone strikes on its soil amid reports of yet another aerial raid by unmanned U.S. aircraft that killed 11 suspected militants on the south west of Pakistani tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
Reports on Tuesday quoting a Pakistani intelligence official said Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Zahirul Islam would also ask CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus to help Islamabad identify targets that the country's security forces could attack, during a meeting with his American counterpart, scheduled for August 2 at Langley.
The much-awaited visit of Zaheer to talk with Petraeus on counter-terror cooperation and intelligence sharing was called off unilaterally by Pakistan two months ago during adverse developments in bilateral ties.
"It would be ideal if the U.S. provides drone technology to Pakistan," the new ISI chief is expected to tell Petraeus, according to the Pakistani intelligence official who refused to disclose his identity.
If CIA will swap information on key militant targets such as Taliban, al-qaeda hideouts and training camps in the tribal areas, the Pakistani security agencies will then deal with the situation accordingly, says the proposal to be presented to the CIA chief.
On the other side, to ensure compliance, CIA can use any mechanism to monitor the Pakistani operation on the ground, including drones.
Pak news channel Geo TV reported on Monday quoting government officials that missiles fired by U.S. drones destroyed a compound in North Waziristan, which allegedly housed a group of militants fighting under Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a prominent leader of a Pakistani Taliban faction based in the volatile tribal region.
The Pakistani government had lodged strong protest against the unilateral U.S. raid into the country that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden last year, and continuing U.S. drone strikes on its territory.
But during his visit to Afghanistan last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the United States was running out of patience with Pakistan, which continued to provide safe havens for militants to launch attacks on its western neighbor.
Pakistan To Propose Pak Drone Strikes On Militant Targets With US Monitoring