Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday claimed that the government had not given any demarche to the US ambassador to Pakistan in aftermath of the US drone attack that killed top militant commander Hakimullah Mehsud at a time when the government was all set to initiate peace talks with the Taliban.
In a statement here, PTI central information secretary Dr Shireen Mazari accused the government of befooling the masses, while no such action was taken by the foreign affairs ministry.
"The government befooled the nation as interior minister had plainly said that the US ambassador was being summoned to the Foreign Office to be handed over a demarche, but the foreign affairs ministry took no such action", she maintained.
She further said that the ambassador was simply called for a meeting and the Pakistani people learnt from the US State Department that no demarche had been given. This is indeed shameful, Mazari said, adding that the government is not scared of lying to its own people but is petrified of conveying the nation's outrage to the US.
"According to a credible news report, the government does not want to annoy the US but it is quite comfortable with annoying its own people," Mazari commented and questioned: "Should we assume there is a disconnect within the ranks of the PML-N government with Chaudhry Nisar taking a strong nationalist position against the US actions and the PM too timid to upset the US".
Mazari also pointed to the news appearing in the press, that the government also knew that Hakimullah would be targeted but this threat was not discussed in the Nawaz-Obama meeting because of advice from "the Establishment". If this is correct, the government needs to explain why this advice was given, she added.
Mazari demanded the government to come clean on exactly what its policy is after Mehsud killing.