By Corey William
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday remarked that the security situation in Pakistan is risky and it could threaten the success of the U.S.-led war effort in neighboring Afghanistan. Clinton said that Islamabad should start implementing reforms and stop fomenting anti-American sentiment in order to strengthen the security condition. "Shocking, unjustified anti-Americanism will not resolve these problems," she said in a speech to The Asia Society. The Secretary of State noted that Pakistani cooperation is critical to help the US succeed in its fight against Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan.
Clinton remarks come at a time when the diplomatic tension between the two countries is on a high over the killing of two Pakistanis by an American embassy worker. Clinton however, preferred not to talk about the fate of a jailed American in Pakistan, but she minced no words while outlining Pakistan's responsibilities. "Distrust lingers on both sides," Clinton said. "We need to work together carefully to prevent misunderstandings and disagreements from derailing the progress we have made in the past two years."
Clinton said that serious efforts are needed from Pakistan’s side in order to split Taliban fighters from al-Qaida and bring them back into the mainstream. She also asked Afghanistan's leaders to reform themselves and eliminate corruption in the country.
Relations between Washington and Islamabad have touched a new low recently after the arrest of the embassy employee Raymond Allen Davis in Lahore. Davis was arrested for killing two Pakistani men. The U.S. is putting pressure on Pakistan to release Davis as he qualifies for diplomatic immunity but Pakistani authorities have questioned his immunity status.
