Lahore, Mar 21: Dispelling doubts of United States' involvment in flushing out suspected al-Qaeda fighters from its north-western region, Pakistan today said its forces were better equipped to carry out anti-terror operations. "Our forces are better equipped to undertake such operations compared to those of the US," Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad told reporters here.

However, Rashid admitted that Pakistani forces engaged in the military operation in the frontier regions of Wana were getting technical aid from the US army.

"We do have US Cobra Helicopters but they are piloted by the Pakistanis and not by the Americans," he said.
On time required to flush out al-Qaeda operatives from Pakistan, Rashid said "keeping in view the current situation in Wana it seems quite probable that the operation may prolong for another couple of days." The crackdown on terrorists had become inevitable after they refused to surrender in response to government's offer of amnesty, he said.

The terrorist were also assured that they would not be handed over to any other country but they opted to resist, and hence the government had to take action, he said.

Rashid said Pakistan would not allow inspection of its nuclear installations under any circumstances.
"Pakistan is a declared nuclear power and there was no question of signing the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty," he said replying to a query. Bureau Report