Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, Sept 11: Amidst reports that US President George W Bush has secretly approved orders allowing US forces to conduct ground operations inside Pakistan, the Pak Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar on Wednesday lashed out at the US saying that his country's sovereignty will be defended and killing of innocent civilians would not be allowed at any cost.
In an unusually strong statement, the Defence Minister criticised America’s recent attacks on the South Waziristan region, which killed innocent civilians, could backfire on the anti-terror allies.
He further said that the new government in Islamabad is committed to the campaign against militancy, launched after the September 11 attacks seven years ago, but cannot allow incursions by US troops.
His response came after reports claimed that the US has is upset with the way Pakistan is handling the situation. The Bush administration has also questioned US’ ability to fight the terrorism war.
Situation not tolerable: US
A newspaper reported that the July move allowing Special Operations forces to carry out assaults within the borders of a key "war on terror" ally marked a turn for the Bush administration, which has struggled with Islamabad over how to combat al Qaeda and a resurgent Taliban.
"The situation in the tribal areas is not tolerable," a senior American official told the paper on condition of anonymity. "We have to be more assertive. Orders have been issued."
According to the newspaper, US officials say they will notify Pakistan when the United States conducts operations on the country's territory, but that they will not ask for permission.
The report comes a week after a cross-border raid allegedly by US-led coalition troops based in neighbouring Afghanistan the left 15 people dead.
A recent series of missile strikes targeting rebels in Pakistan has been attributed to US-led coalition forces or Central Intelligence Agency drones based in Afghanistan.
First Published: Thursday, September 11, 2008, 00:00