US energy experts due today: Holbrooke

KARACHI: President Barack Obama’s envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke announced on Wednesday that a team of US experts would arrive in Pakistan on Thursday to help address its energy crisis.

He told a news conference before flying to Afghanistan at the conclusion of his visit to Pakistan that the US would begin issuing 100 business visas every week in Karachi from next month and restore consular services next year through its consulate general.

Mr Holbrooke said the steps were being taken to strengthen bilateral ties and facilitate Pakistan’s access to international markets, especially the US.

He said the measure would be a major step in strengthening relations between the city of Karachi, the business community and the people of Pakistan and the US.

On his first visit to Pakistan’s economic hub, Mr Holbrooke underscored the ‘deep ties’ that bound the two countries and US support for the business community.

The US diplomat also focused on the energy crisis and the situation in Afghanistan.

He said the US had great confidence in Pakistani people and its resilient economy, which promised opportunities for the future. The US was working with the private sector to support policies envisaging innovation, employment opportunities and growth, Mr Holbrooke added.

Focused on the ‘plague of blackouts,’ he said energy shortfall presented a clear crisis for Pakistan.

He said the needs of Pakistani people must be addressed and assured that the US was prepared to help.

‘We also seek to engage the energy crisis of Pakistan which is a complex problem and cannot be solved through quick-fix measures. It needs a mix of resources and plans on appropriate use of fuel and generation capacity.’

As a first step, the US government is organising a Pakistan emergency energy task force to explore all possible means of engagements. In the short term, the US will hold a meeting with Pakistani officials in October in Islamabad.

A team of energy experts will arrive on Thursday to evaluate the situation and seek technical details, the US envoy said, adding that Washington was engaging many international financial institutions, including Exim Bank and the US Trade and Development Agency, the IMF, the ADB and the World Bank. The private sector would be critical in all the efforts, he said.

‘We have made a major turn in our relationship with Pakistan under President Obama by focussing on the needs of Pakistani people,’ he said.

AFGHANISTAN

In reply to a question about Afghan elections, Mr Holbrooke said: ‘There are 17 million people registered as voters in Afghanistan — five million more than the previous election. I can’t say how many polling stations will be closed tomorrow during elections. It is very difficult in Afghanistan to see perfect elections.’

On the possibility of negotiation with Taliban, the US envoy said: ‘This is not like World War II. This is a different war in which there is an equal threat to Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States. We are fighting against a common enemy.’

Mr Holbrooke was pleased with the success of Pakistan Army in Swat and other parts of the northwest.
He acknowledged that a purely military solution was neither likely nor desirable.

He said the Taliban were fighting for many reasons -- some for guns, some for money and some for revenge.

Mr Holbrooke vowed to ‘continue to make efforts to succeed in Afghanistan’ and claimed to have made a lot of progress lately both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said there was room for anyone supporting Taliban to reintegrate into Afghan life after leaving Al Qaeda, laying down arms and starting life in accordance with the country’s constitution.

In reply to a question, he said: ‘Balochistan is a concern for all of us as tension seems to be rising, adversely affecting Pakistan and Afghanistan.’ But he declined to go further, saying it was for the government of Pakistan to deal with the issue.

He said the US had no presence in Balochistan nor were its troops present in Pakistan.

US negotiations with Russia for an alternative route for Nato supplies to Afghanistan would not affect the importance of Karachi.

Asked why the US could not create conditions for 2.5 million Afghan refugees to return home, he promised that it would be Washington’s priority after the Afghan elections.

He also talked about plans to set up economic opportunity zones along the Afghan border.

To a question about his reported remarks regarding President Asif Ali Zardari completing his term, Mr Holbrooke said the US wanted democratically elected representatives to complete their term.

‘We support the democratically elected government of Pakistan.’

Earlier, the US envoy met Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan and an MQM delegation and discussed development works.

A delegation of the PPP, led by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, also met him at the Governor’s House.

Mr Holbrooke termed development works carried out in Karachi unbelievable. Talking to journalists after visiting a city government school near the City Railway Station, he said measures taken by District Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal had surprised him.