Pakistan must protect US interests, says Obama

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that the United States would not feel comfortable in a long-term strategic relationship with Pakistan if it did not protect US interests as well.


In a 90-minute news conference at the White House, the US leader focused mainly on domestic issues, chiding banks, showing irritation with the Wall Street and urging lawmakers to help him create jobs.


This was Mr Obama’s first news conference since his former military chief Admiral Mike Mullen told a Senate hearing two weeks ago that Pakistan was encouraging the Haqqani network of militants to attack US and Nato targets in Afghanistan.The lobbyists also warned the Pakistanis not to be too comfortable with recent conciliatory statements from the White House and the State Department as the Americans were not going to give up their demand for a military operation against the group.That’s the environment that encourages extremism to grow, said Mr Obama, adding that the US was trying to make Pakistan realise that militancy “doesn’t just threaten our efforts in Afghanistan but also threatens the Pakistani government and the Pakistan people.”


Asked if the US could stop its assistance to push Pakistan to accept its demands, Mr Obama said his administration had “a great desire” to help the Pakistani people strengthen their own society and government.