WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that Pakistan’s reinstatement of a fired Supreme Court chief justice will allow Islamabad to return its attention to the crucial fight against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants operating along the Afghan border.
Clinton told reporters that Pakistan’s decision was “a first step of what has to be an ongoing reconciliation and compromising of political views that can stabilize civilian democracy and rule of law, both of which are essential to . . . preventing extremism and violence from stalking the Pakistani people and the country.” When asked whether the political turmoil was distracting Pakistan from the fight against extremists, Clinton said, “I think they understand what’s at stake.”
