India finances trouble in Pakistan: Hagel
Former US Senator Chuck Hagel, US President Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Defence speaks on foreign policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington. — File Photo by AP
WASHINGTON: India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan from across the border in Afghanistan, says Senator Chuck Hagel, US President Barack Obama’s nominee for secretary of defence.
Mr Hagel, who faces a confirmation vote in the US Senate on Tuesday night or Wednesday, made these remarks in a talk at the Cameron University in Oklahoma in 2011. The video of his speech reappeared on a website of the Washington Free Beacon, an American news portal that publishes associated content from a US conservative perspective.
The video gave more fuel to his opponents who were already trying to block his nomination because of the alleged anti-Israeli statements he had made in the past.
Mr Hagel’s “comments on India’s role in Afghanistan during a speech in 2011 provide yet another indication that he is poorly qualified to lead the US Department of Defence”, said Lisa Curtis, a South Asia expert at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think-tank.
In his talk on Afghanistan, Mr Hagel reportedly said that India had been using Afghanistan as a second front against Pakistan. “India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border, and you can carry that into many dimensions.”
He noted that India took advantage of tensions between Kabul and Islamabad for fomenting troubles in the areas that border Afghanistan. “The point being [that] the tense, fragmented relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been there for many, many years,” he said.
Mr Hagel is not the only American to suggest that India has been using Afghanistan for stirring troubles in Pakistan. C. Christine Fair, an assistant professor at Georgetown University, made similar suggestion during a congressional hearing on Afghanistan in 2011 but was later forced to clarify her position following protests from Indian lobbies.
Our Correspondent in New Delhi adds: US defence secretary nominee Chuck Hagel has riled Indians after his comments from a 2011 speech in which he accused New Delhi of financing problems for Pakistan through Afghanistan.
The remarks sparked a strong reaction from India which said such comments were “contrary to the reality” of its unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghans.
A Times of India report quoted the Indian Embassy in Washington as seeking to play down its importance.
“Such comments attributed to Senator Hagel, who has been a longstanding friend of India and a prominent votary of close India-US relations, are contrary to the reality of India’s unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghan people,” the embassy said.
It added that India’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan was unwavering, “and this is reflected in our significant assistance to Afghanistan in developing its economy, infrastructure and institutional capacities”. “Our opposition to terrorism and its safe havens in our neighbourhood is firm and unshakable. India’s development assistance has been deeply appreciated by the people and the government of Afghanistan, and by our friends around the world including the US. We do not view our engagement with Afghanistan as a zero sum game,” the embassy said.
The Times said Mr Hagel’s remarks were in sharp contrast to the viewpoint of the Obama administration that had always been in praise of India’s developmental role in Afghanistan and in fact had been pressing New Delhi to do more in Afghanistan.
The embassy said India and the US had a shared perspective and a deep convergence of interests for ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“We will continue to work to help the Afghan people build a peaceful, prosperous, democratic and inclusive future for themselves in an environment free from terror and intimidation,” the statement said.
I love this almost everyone in Pakistan is having field day with some lose talk done almost two years ago.
In think.. he must be on dope!!!
but why india was doing that? May be to prevent incidents like Kandahar plane hijack. And these firangee people, when mood between neighbors looks getting better, they put poison.
What Hagel said was not as a Defence Sec , these allegations are unsubstantiated , it will be imp to see if maintains the same position after assuming the office , which honestly he cannot after being a part of administration .But his love for Pakistan can be gauged by the number of drone strike he permits.
Pakistan has been meddling in india for years, why should India not interfere in pakistan ?
One comment verses whole world comments about Pakistan…time for reality check..All Pakistani’s will hang on to these comment…Good luck to you guys..:)
I thought indian government wastes the money i pay as tax. Atleast some thing happens with my tax paying money
It’s very good to hear that India and pakistan have a tense relationship….from a third party
. If Sen. Hagel hadn’t said this only 2 years ago, we would never have known these 2 nations are not friends 
.
Thanks for stating a hidden truth Senator !
Incidentally, it is interesting to know that as the end game in Afghanistan starts, USA is packing Pakistan pro senators into key positions – Sen. John kerry, who also helped Pakistan enormously through Kerry-Lugar bill and over USD 7 Billion grants, who is pro Pakistani defence and helps project their worries to US – good for Pakistan to have such a person now as Secretary of State in place of the earlier foe of Pakistan, Sen. Hillary Clinton. Also, very good for Pakistan’s defence and army that Hagel will become Defence Secretay in US and bad for the neighbours including Afghanistan and India, who are trying to join hands against pakistan and Taliban.
Everybody knows He is Pro Pakistani. Nothing new from his side.
atleast he speaks truth, now the duty of Pak leaders to make strategy to defame this Indian activity, so that pak can be save from every inhuman activity against pak
It’s about time someone in the present U.S admin opened up, i am surprised that it took so long it’s also Pakistans fault for not be successful to identify the involvement of foreign elements inside the country.If Pakistan want’s to alley with the U.S then Pakistan needs to have strong lobby i say it’s time to part way’s with the U.S
This we had already confirmed, that India had staged the drama of Mumbai attack, to hide their own meaness. Whereas they were operating in Afghanistan since long to create Bangla Desh situation by creating TTP, as Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan. Americans realised it, but slightly late. Karzai, a classified joker has yet to realise the actual Indian wickedness and game played by them to create ever lasting enemity between to Muslim states.
although we ignore western gossip most of the time, we choose to accept this one. Wonder why!!
Here comes “The concealed truth”. At last, someone showed the real picture to American people.
I sometimes wonder, which Welfare is India Talking about in Afghanistan???
when itself, India has Millions to Look after for their Welfare………
Raw and other Intelligence agencies Must Not sitting IDLE and doing Welfare
I guess…..
“There might be another proxy war between India and Pakistan as India would arm Hamid Karzai and Pakistan would arm the Taliban, said Mr Dalrymple answering the question as to what would happen after the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan.”
If you read this statement you got to know who is playing what type of game in Afghanistan.
Visit Afghanistan and see the roads, hospitals and other buildings built by India, you will get the truth.
surely he missed his chances, thats what all americans know but cant speak, will harm their longterm relation with India
We Pakistanis have known this for years. Indians were not nice to us before 1947, killed millions of our people in 1947, occupied our Muslim majority province of Kashmir and invaded Pakistan many times over (by crossing the international border). They using Afghan soil is just a continuation of their hate.
Plain and simple!
Probably you don’t know the history well!
I don’t blame you as wrong history books were taught to you. Your Muslim majority province? Who told you that?
us before 1947? please be specific on who are “us”
I can blame only to your wrong history text book dude..!!!
It is quite possible that financing trouble in Pakistan. Why would it need so many consulates so lined up next to Pakistan’s border. Pakistan would have done the same to India as childish these two governments are.
Eye openers for all those promoting ..so called .. AMMAN KI ASHA…MY foot.
I totally agree with you.There should not be any Aman ki Asha between India & Pakistan.
Associating with Pakistan is not good for our global image.
Its a 2 years old statement by a misplaced & falling diplomat. its a big Lie and he just speculated about india’s role in afghanistan. He didnt say anything about indian role in pakistan directly.
A loose talk indulged in, almost two years ago. Has little relavance today.
keep denying as truth is not pretty.
do you really think indians should be trusted?
The relevance increases when he becomes the secretary of state two hours ago!
The gentleman was addressing a very very serious forum and the statement is not a loose talk. Lets call spade, a spade.
Telling the truth is a hard thing to do well done senator.
Pakistan needs a powerful Pakistani lobby in the US, to establish it self as a pressure group. If you notice Christine is now very critical of Pakistan since the Indian lobby gave her a dressing down, she signing praises of India. However despite saying this we Pakistanis and Indians shouldn’t allow foreigners to meddle in our affairs, we need to stop this childish and silly conflict we are constantly having and we should be looking to move on, both countries need to foment a stronger economic pact as rally behind that this will help ease the tension and many will see and realize that its better to have a good relationship each other. We, Pakistanis and Indians are essentially the same people.
True but only if we realised this one fact.
hahahahahha…pakistani lobby…..
Tell me why would your army would like to have better relations with India?
India can deny it but can’t hide it. Facts speak itself
please do post some facts to improve our knowledge
Maybe Pakistan can start focusing on internal issues if the foreign elements are deterred for a time, but that is highly doubtful with the departure of the Americans from Afghanistan. Mr. Hagel may say more truth than others around him, but he will not be able to help Pakistan much.
Like Mr Hagel, there have been many in USA who do admit and confessed in their speech and write ups that suggest opening of two borders by India for Pakistan in order to put her under extreme pressure. Likewise inside Pakistan, Indians paid agents are engaged in terrorist activities … the terms “hidden hands” or the “handlers” often used by the Interior Minister for India. It’s time to openly speak up in the best interest of Pakistan…
Very True!! At least someone have come up from US to officially accept this. Indians have been very cunning to always project the false and fabricated irony they are facing through Pakistani hands. SO far they have been successful in projecting this. I hope this tool will not work for them in future.