Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:29:27 GMT | PressTV
 General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (L), Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani |
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer met with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Islamabad on Thursday to discuss security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a Press TV correspondent reported.
Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar and Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani separately voiced their protest at US strikes inside the Pakistani territories, warning the NATO chief that such incidents could lead to 'tribesmen backlash'.
President Zardari had previously called for an end to the attacks. Pakistani officials have voiced readiness to defend the country's sovereignty even if it entails clashing with US and NATO forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The tribal regions along the shared border between Pakistan and Afghanistan became safe havens for militants after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 toppled the Taliban regime, sending insurgents across the border.
The Pentagon has used this as a pretext to launch drone attacks on Pakistan's tribal regions -- a move that has increased tension between Islamabad and Washington and has triggered anti-American sentiments among the Pakistani people.
Over 500 people -- suspected militants as well as civilians -- have been killed in such attacks.
Pakistan says that the drone attacks trigger public anger, which undermines the country's counter-terrorism efforts.
While promising to respect Pakistan's sovereignty de Hoop Scheffer said NATO forces would maintain the right to retaliate if fired upon from the Pakistani side of the border.
The US and its western allies have accused Pakistan of 'not doing enough' to prevent attacks on supply routes as well as cross-border operations carried out by insurgents against foreign troops in Afghanistan.
Currently, more than 75 percent of NATO supplies, including 40 percent of the fuel for its troops in Afghanistan, are transported overland through Pakistan's Khyber tribal district.
In recent months, militant attacks on truck terminals in Peshawar and convoys in Khyber district have forced Pakistani authorities to repeatedly close the strategic supply route.
Approximately 1,000 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in clashes with militants in the northwest since 2001.
The tribal regions along the shared border between Pakistan and Afghanistan became safe havens for militants after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 toppled the Taliban regime, sending insurgents across the border.
The Pentagon has used this as a pretext to launch drone attacks on Pakistan's tribal regions -- a move that has increased tension between Islamabad and Washington and has triggered anti-American sentiments among the Pakistani people.
Over 500 people -- suspected militants as well as civilians -- have been killed in such attacks.
Pakistan says that the drone attacks trigger public anger, which undermines the country's counter-terrorism efforts.
While promising to respect Pakistan's sovereignty de Hoop Scheffer said NATO forces would maintain the right to retaliate if fired upon from the Pakistani side of the border.
The US and its western allies have accused Pakistan of 'not doing enough' to prevent attacks on supply routes as well as cross-border operations carried out by insurgents against foreign troops in Afghanistan.
Currently, more than 75 percent of NATO supplies, including 40 percent of the fuel for its troops in Afghanistan, are transported overland through Pakistan's Khyber tribal district.
In recent months, militant attacks on truck terminals in Peshawar and convoys in Khyber district have forced Pakistani authorities to repeatedly close the strategic supply route.
Approximately 1,000 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in clashes with militants in the northwest since 2001.
No comments:
Post a Comment