KL Bill critics, those against Pak govt or Taliban supporters: Holbrooke

August 20th, 2009 KARACHI - US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan, has said his visit has nothing to do with the Indo-Pak problem, and that he is not in Pakistan to negotiate on the Kashmir issue. In an interview to a private television channel, Holbrooke said it was upto India and Pakistan to resolve the issue bilaterally.

August 18th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke has said that Washington is sure about the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud's death because the chieftain has not appeared over television or radio to prove his well-being. "The reason it's clear he's dead is that if he weren't dead, he'd be giving TV and radio interviews to prove he's not dead," Holbrooke told CNN.

August 16th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - U.S.President Barack Obama's Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke began an official visit to Pakistan on Sunday but heavy rain forced him to postpone a trip to the northwestern Swat Valley. A US Embassy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed this today, even as hundreds of thousands of refugees continue to return to the valley after the military declared that it was free of Taliban control.

August 16th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said Washington's attempt to distance itself from former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would hamper US interests, as the PML-N chief is a famous leader of the country. "Nawaz Sharif is a popular leader and his party is ruling the largest province of Punjab.

August 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke says Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud's elimination last week was a "very big deal" in terms of security efforts in Pakistan. "The end of Baitullah Mehsud, as we all know, is a very big deal," he said Wednesday, citing reports of "disarray among his people, of other factions manoeuvring" following the apparent death of the Taliban leader in a missile strike.

July 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Raising questions over the success of the Swat military offensive, US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke has said it is unclear whether the Taliban has really been hit hard in the operation. Talking to media persons after returning from his visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan here, Holbrooke said Washington is yet to ascertain whether scores of Taliban insurgents are actually being killed, as claimed by the Pakistan Army, or have they just scattered away only to recoil later.

July 29th, 2009 BRUSSELS - US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has reiterated that the stability of Pakistan's lawless tribal areas along the Afghan border is very important in order to have some degree of control in Afghanistan. "In order to succeed in Afghanistan we have to have some degree of stability and control on the Pakistan side of the border," The News quoted Holbrooke, as saying.

July 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The United States would not allow the Taliban to sneak into Pakistan from Afghanistan and is working out a strategy for it, US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said before leaving Pakistan for Afghanistan after a two-day visit. Holbrooke said the US would not repeat its mistakes that it did in 2001 when hundreds of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters slipped into Pakistan's border region following the US led surge after 9/11.

July 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has ruled out any negotiations with the Taliban until it lays down arms and severe all its ties with Al-Qaeda. When enquired about the statement of the Pakistan Army's spokesman, Major General Athar Abbas, that the Pakistan military can bring the Taliban to the discussion table with the United States, the US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, said such a possibility can only occur when the Taliban 'repudiates al-Qaeda publicly'.

June 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, has said that it is too soon for Pakistan to declare victory in the Swat Valley, where the Army has purportedly put the Taliban insurgents on the back foot. Holbrooke, attending a G8 conference on stabilizing Pakistan and Afghanistan in Italy, said in an interview that it was too early for Pakistan to announce victory in Swat.

June 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US is winding down efforts to destroy poppy in Afghanistan, special envoy Richard Holbrooke said Wednesday, after criticism that the zealous US approach has pushed peasants toward the Taliban. Holbrooke, special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said President Barack Obama's administration was making "significant adjustments" from the previous government of George W.

June 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke has said that the huge humanitarian and military aid being offered to Pakistan is critical for America's security interests. "Pakistan needs our help and that help is in our own national security interests.

June 7th, 2009 LAHORE - President Barack Obama's Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has said the United States will trace the financial sources of the Taliban. Holbrooke said the Taliban is getting more money from private donors than from their opium trade, estimated to be about 300 million dollars a year.

May 6th, 2009 LAHORE - The United States Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke has termed the Swat peace deal as 'dead', the Daily Times reported. Addressing the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in Washington, Holbrooke said Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari had already informed the United States that the accord, signed between the NWFP government and the Taliban, would not stand for long.

April 20th, 2009 LAHORE - The US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said that there is an increased risk of Islamabad being affected by the Swat deal inked between the Taliban and the government of Pakistan. "You cannot deal with these people by giving away territory.