Correction For The Record: Pakistan’s Military Leadership

July 21, 2010

Islamabad -  A national daily newspaper  published an article on its front-page on July 20 under the headline "Hillary pleads Kayani's extension," with a fictional tale that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, while in Pakistan,  had "effectively lobbied" for an extension in tenure for the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff.

Questioned about her views on the matter during her visit in an interview broadcast on Pakistan TV, and repeated several times on various channels, Secretary of State Clinton said it succinctly:

"This is an internal matter for Pakistan.  We have not, and will not, express an opinion."

The newspaper has deliberately misrepresented U.S. policy, making this baseless claim of U.S. interference in spite of the Embassy spokesman's direct denial.