Islamabad: The US and the Pakistan Army denied media reports that the American administration had established a military presence in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan.
A statement issued by the US embassy here described
media reports about Pakistan’s approval for a "presence" by
the Office of the US Defense Representative at the Pakistan
Army’s 12 Corps headquarters in Quetta as a
"misrepresentation".
"There is no permanent US presence in Quetta. Episodic
visits by a US team provides information and coordination
support between the International Security and Assistance
Force (in Afghanistan) and Pakistan military forces when ISAF
operates periodically near the border with Pakistan," the
statement said.
A spokesman for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public
Relations too denied the media reports, saying they were "not
correct".
US officials occasionally visit Quetta to provide
information and coordinate between ISAF and the Pakistani
military, the spokesman said.
PTI
