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Politician outs CIA in drone probe
11/28/2013 2:29:36 AM
- A Pakistani political party publicizes the name of a person she says is CIA station chief
- The PTI party gave the police the names of two CIA officials in connection with a drone strike
- There is a murder investigation into the recent strike
- If in fact a CIA official was outed, it could have repercussions
(CNN) -- A Pakistani political party official has publicly named two U.S. CIA officials in connection with a police murder investigation into a drone strike.
Police had already initiated an investigation against unnamed persons after a recent drone strike that killed five. In a televised news conference Wednesday, Shireen Mazari, information secretary for the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said she filed an addendum to the police complaint, singling out two U.S. officials.
She gave the names of U.S. CIA Director John Brennan and a person identified as the CIA's Station Chief based in Pakistan. U.S. officials did not confirm to CNN the accuracy of her claims.
"I can't speak to the alleged operational issues, but more broadly I note we have a strong ongoing dialogue with Pakistan regarding all aspects of our bilateral relationship and shared interests," a U.S. Embassy official in Pakistan told CNN.
If in fact Mazari outed the identity of a high-ranking CIA agent, it could have repercussions.
In 2010, the CIA recalled its top spy in Pakistan after he was identified in a lawsuit filed by a man whose son and brother were killed by a drone strike.
The PTI is led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, a staunch opponent of drone strikes.
His party is demanding that the national government block the ground supply lines to Afghanistan unless the United States ends the strikes, which have focused on Pakistan's loosely governed tribal areas where many militants are based.
Report: U.S., Pakistan had secret agreement on dozens of drone strikes
The drone strike that Mazari linked the CIA officials to happened in northwest Pakistan. The suspected U.S. drone strike killed six people in Hangu district, targeting a seminary belonging to the Afghan Haqqani Network. It was said to be one of the first U.S. drone strikes outside of Pakistan's tribal districts.
Police initially said that all the victims of the drone strike were Afghans, but there have been conflicting reports, and on Tuesday Mazari also said some victims were Pakistani.
The Pakistani police initiated an investigation for murder and waging war on Pakistan.
Mazari called for the high-ranking CIA official in Pakistan to be put on a list to prevent him from leaving the country. The country's interior ministry said that as of Wednesday, it had not received such instructions.
CNN has reached out to the CIA for comment on the developments.
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