US avoids admitting or denying charges of spying on Pakistani officials
Pakistan, unlike Germany, abstains from ousting CIA Station Chief from the country on spying charges
ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) Though, after some serious allegations about CIA spying on Pakistani government officials and dignitaries, Pakistan took the case up with Washington yet the United States has not yet denied or admitted the charges, let alone apologizing for it.
Recently, former Interior Minister of Pakistan and Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) senior leader, Dr. Senator Rehman Malik had revealed that cabinet meetings were spied on during the previous tenure. More revelations have recently been made that some CIA agents were spying over certain PPP leaders and some institutions of the country.
There is a history to it. Pakistan and the United States have remained ‘close allies’ and ‘strategic partners’ in their War on Terror yet certain unwanted incidents have marred their relationship over the years.
One such incident took place when the US seals broke into Pakistani territory after midnight on May 2, 2011, to take out Osama Bin Laden. Osama Bin Laden was living in a compound in Abbotabad and the operation against him was carried out by the US seals after getting credible information through their spy Dr. Shakeel Afridi, who had disguised himself as a Polio activist in the region.
Earlier in 2011, Raymond Davis, an undercover CIA agent, later claimed by the United States of America as a ‘diplomat’, was caught in Lahore when he shot down two civilians near Qurtaba Chowk on January 27, 2011. Police arrested him on the spot and the US claimed diplomatic immunity for him. The issue was highlighted on international level and Pakistan Army had then undertaken a search operation throughout the country to identify and expel all the agents working for CIA in the country.
It has been reported at various occasions that the infamous Black Water and XE have been working in Pakistan and they have been involved in spying and intelligence sharing.
A few months back, Germany had ousted the CIA Station Head from Berlin for spying on German government officials but the case has been entirely different with Pakistan. It must also be mentioned here that German government had taken the decision only after receiving clear evidence about the fact when Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee, had leaked all the inside information.
The current revelations about CIA agents and the drone strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan have highlighted the issue in the country and the growing unrest among the masses has strengthened the demand for ousting the CIA agents from the country but so far the government has shown restraint in this regard.
