Islamabad says 'irresponsible' comments by Admiral Mike Mullen that it 'sanctioned' journalist death will ruin US-Pak ties
Islamabad says 'irresponsible' comments by Admiral Mike Mullen that it 'sanctioned' journalist death will ruin US-Pak ties
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US Admiral Mike Mullen accused the Pakistani government of 'sanctioning' the death of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad on Friday. In response, Pakistan lashed out at America's top-ranking military officer saying that its relations with the US have been further damaged by his remarks blaming the Islamabad government for the killing, torture and murder of Pakistani journalist. Mullen had made an "extremely irresponsible and unfortunate statement" Pakistan's minister of information, Firdous Ashiq Awan said.
"This statement will create problems and difficulties for the bilateral relations between Pakistan and America. It will definitely deal a blow to our common efforts with regard to the war on terror," Awan, said.
Syed Saleem Shahzad, an investigative journalist for Asia Times Online, was murdered and his mutilated body was found on May 30 in a canal 40 miles from Islamabad. He had been writing about jihadist infiltration in the Pakistani military.
In his public remarks at a Pentagon briefing on Thursday he said Shahzad's killing was part of a pattern of eliminating troublesome journalists.
"His (death) isn't the first. For whatever reason, it has been used as a method historically," he said. The Pakistani government has set up a judicial commission to investigate Shahzad's death.
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