Islamabad: The US wants Pakistan to take
speedy action against al-Qaeda and Taliban elements holed up in North Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border, American military chief Admiral Mike has said.
Noting that Pakistani security forces had conducted
nine major operations in the past two years in areas like Swat
and South Waziristan Agency, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman
Mullen said the militants in North Waziristan continue to pose
the "biggest threat".
Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is aware
of the threat posed by militants in North Waziristan, Mullen
said. Kayani has pledged to launch an operation against them
at a time chosen by Pakistan though the US wants action to be
taken speedily, he said.
"Would we like to see it happen more quickly?
Absolutely," Mullen said in an interview with Geo News
channel. The US has stepped up pressure on Pakistan to move
troops into North Waziristan to crackdown on groups like the
Haqqani network that target allied forces across the border in
Afghanistan.
Analysts believe the Pakistan Army is reluctant to act
because it has close links to the Haqqani network and wants to
use such groups to influence developments in Afghanistan after
US troops pull out.
Mullen made it clear that the US wants to end al-Qaeda
and allied extremist groups, and it is necessary to destroy
the Al Qaeda leadership in Pakistan and militant hideouts to
achieve this objective.
"I believe it has to be all done in a way that it`s
sustained over time," he said.
Pakistan`s reservations will be considered in
resolving the Afghan imbroglio, Mullen said.
The US is also committed to long-term relations with
both Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said.
Gen Kayani and the US leadership both believe that a
stable Afghanistan could resolve many problems, he said.
Referring to Pakistan-India relations, Mullen said
better relations between the two South Asian countries would
ensure security in the region.
Bureau Report
