US concerned over its negative image in Pakistan

October 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has said that it has no objection over the planned expansion of the US embassy in Islamabad. Briefing a Sub-Committee of National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said Islamabad is not concerned about the expansion.

October 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The United States has asked Pakistan to bring the culprits of the November 2008 Mumbai massacre to justice as soon as possible, adding that it would always encourage talks between India and Pakistan to ensure peace in the region. "We certainly have encouraged and continue to encourage Pakistan to fully investigate the Mumbai attacks, and even more importantly, bring those responsible before their judicial system," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip Crowley said.

September 17th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Obama Administration has been informed by the Pakistan Army that the US' new Af-Pak policy will yield negative results if it is applied in the same manner as it is being done in Afghanistan. President Asif Ali Zardari during his visit to the USA will also advocate the same line of the army.

September 16th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan's High Commissioner to Britain Wajid Shams-ul- Hassan has termed former President General Pervez Musharraf's statement regarding misuse of US military aid as a 'foolish' comment, and has said that it could have a damaging effect on the country's image. "Such unwise statements from the former president can damage the image of the country in international community" Hassan said.

September 15th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's media advisory team has drastically failed to counter the negative publicity against him. According to The Nation, the team of politicians looking after the political affairs at the Presidency, including Rukhsana Bangash, Faranaz Isphahani and Senator Faisal Raza Abedi, were rarely seen working for image building of Zardari.

July 4th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will share with the international community the evidence of foreign elements supporting terrorists to destabilise the country, a foreign ministry official said Saturday. "We have gathered proofs of some anti-Pakistan foreign elements supporting terrorists in our tribal areas to destabilise Pakistan and we would share it with the concerned countries at international level, foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit was quoted as saying by the Online news agency.

May 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - After every brazen terrorist strike in Pakistan,the involvement of a 'foreign hand' that of America and India, is held responsible. Pakistan media and experts, almost immediately after any terrorist strike, start linking India to it.

May 23rd, 2009 RAWALPINDI - Slack visa policies and lack of watchfulness by the concerned Pakistan authorities may be utilized by the pro-Taliban elements to enter the country, Pakistan High Commissioner to Britain, Wajid Shamsul Hasan has warned. According to the Dawn, Hasan has already informed the concerned authorities in Islamabad that the on-going military offensive in the Swat Valley may see the foreign based Taliban operatives sneak into Pakistan to offer help to their counterparts.

May 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - China has expressed concern over the rising US 'influence' in the region, including Pakistan. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Lou Zhaohui, while raising concerns over the presence of US troops in the region, said the number of foreign forces was 'too high' across the region.

May 6th, 2009 LAHORE - Eighty-seven percent of American voters are still concerned about the security of nuclear weapons in Pakistan, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. According to the Daily Times, 60 percent of the respondents said they are 'very concerned', while only 10 percent of those asked said they were not worried.

April 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama said he was 'gravely concerned' by the situation in Pakistan and expressed fears about the fragility of a civilian government struggling to contain the growing Taliban insurgency. Obama said the Pakistani government lacked the ability to provide basic services for its people and promised the United States would do all it could to build up its institutions.

April 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Think memory worsens with age? Then yours probably will, says a new study. The study found that senior citizens who think older people should perform poorly on tests of memory actually score much worse than seniors who don't buy in to negative stereotypes about aging and memory loss.

March 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US is 'extremely concerned' by the political crisis in Pakistan but doesn't believe there is a 'high probability right now' of the military intervening. The situation 'continues to deteriorate very, very slowly under a political leadership which is very challenged because of the totality of the crisis,' Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mullen, said in an interview with PBS, the public broadcaster.

March 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US is 'extremely concerned' by the political crisis in Pakistan but doesn't believe there is a 'high probability right now' the situation will prompt the military to intervene. The situation 'continues to deteriorate very, very slowly under a political leadership which is very challenged because of the totality of the crisis,' Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mullen, said in an interview with PBS.

January 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Getting Islamabad's cooperation to close Taliban sanctuaries in its tribal areas may be Washington's single hardest challenge as Pakistan has always used them to train people to operate in Kashmir or India, says a leading US expert. Bruce O. Riedel, an expert on South Asia who has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Pentagon and National Security Council, says new special envoy Richard Holbrooke needs to reverse the negative momentum in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.