Pak govt. red faced after Gates nails its ‘no Blackwater operating inside country’ lie
By ANISaturday, January 23, 2010
ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government has come under attack from the opposition after US Defence Secretary Robert Gates’s admitted that controversial private American security firms, Blackwater and DynCorp were indeed present in Pakistan.
The Pakistan government, which has until now denied the presence of any US security firm inside the country, was caught on wrong foot by Gates’s statement that companies such as Blackwater were working in Pakistan, but in a private capacity.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Zafar Ali Shah demanded Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s resignation over the issue.
“The interior minister had said on the floor of this House that he would tender his resignation if anyone proved Blackwater’s presence in Pakistan. What more proof does the minister require,” The Daily Times quoted, as sying.
“It was not a simple thing which the government could ignore, for it involves several bomb explosions and abduction of several persons wanted by Americans,” he added.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said the government had never denied the presence of the Blackwater in the country.
Kaira, however, said he was unaware about Gates’ statement. (ANI)
