Miliband, others blast Cameron for anti-Pakistan remarks

Statement shakes up British diplomacy, sparks terror row with Islamabad

By Murtaza Ali Shah

LONDON: Former British Foreign Secretary Labour leadership hopeful David Miliband became the highest profile British politician to condemn Prime Minister David Cameron, accusing him of being a "loudmouth" over his remarks about Pakistan's record on terrorism.

The former foreign secretary was speaking as the row continued over comments Cameron made during his trip to India in which the PM accused Pakistan of "exporting terrorism", effectively endorsing Indian viewpoint.

Miliband said there was a "big difference between straight talking and being a loudmouth" as he claimed Cameron had been "going off script" in recent public statements.

Miliband said everyone had "two ears and one mouth" and it was important to use them "in that proportion" when it came to foreign policy.

Cameron caused anger in Islamabad when he warned that Pakistan should not be allowed "to promote the export of terror" in the world. Cameron has denied his comments had overshadowed his trip. "I don't think it's overshadowed anything," he said. "I think it's important to speak frankly and clearly about these issues. I have always done that in the past and will do so in the future."

Miliband accused Cameron of only "telling half the story", pointing out that thousands of innocent civilians in Pakistan had been killed by terrorism.

Put to him that it was "pretty strong" to accuse the prime minister of being a loudmouth he said: "Well, I think there is a big difference between straight-talking and being a loudmouth.

He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One: "It is very, very important that the prime minister, who in three unscripted appearances at press conferences has gone off script and has said, as I say, in the Pakistan case half the story, understands that we have got two ears and one mouth and it is very important to use them in that proportion."

Miliband denied he was point scoring as part of his leadership campaign on a serious situation. He said: "It is a very serious situation and that is why I say, as I always did when I went to Islamabad, Pakistan must go further and faster in dealing with the terrorism that has been launched from its own midst."

"But it is also important to recognise how much Pakistan itself has suffered from the terrorism that afflicts the whole of south Asia," he said. He added: "I think it is very important that we speak plainly, but we speak the whole truth. Pakistan has been a launching pad for terrorism but remember we need to work with the Pakistani authorities against the terrorist groups that go across the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. We are not going to do that if we just say that they are in league with terrorists."

Former chief of the Defence Staff Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, also a former emissary to Pakistan, told the programme: "The prime minister made some remarks, some people will say they weren't helpful, I am sure."

Pakistan's high commissioner to Britain, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, said the country had been "really hurt" by his outspoken comments and called on him to "make amends."

Hasan told the BBC that he hoped it was a "slip of the tongue" and had not been meant as a "slight." The high commissioner said: "He is new in government, maybe he will learn soon and he will know how to handle things. I hope he will make amends and he will pacify the people of Pakistan as well as the government of Pakistan because it has been taken here very adversely, people are really hurt."

Earlier speaking to The News, British parliamentarians and campaigners called on the British premier to apologise to Pakistani nation and stop being patronising.

Britain's Stop the War Coalition called on David Cameron to apologise to Pakistani people for deeply hurting them and patronising them.

Lindsey German, the convenor of the anti-war coalition, advised David Cameron to first read the recent evidence given to the Chilcot panel by the former head of MI5, Eliza Manningham-Buller.