Pak army chief criticises cross-border raids by US-led forces

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Sep 11 (PTI) In an unusually strong public
statement, Pakistan's army chief has lashed out at the US-led
coalition forces in Afghanistan over the cross-border raids in
the tribal belt and vowed to defend the country's sovereignty
and territorial integrity "at all cost".

Such intrusions were not covered by "any agreement or
understanding with the coalition forces," General Ashfaq
Parvez Kayani said.

They are not "allowed to conduct operations on our side
of the border," Kayani said in a statement late last night.

His strong reaction comes in the wake of mounting
cross-border violations by U.S. predator drones and a raid by
coalition's special forces inside a village in Pakistan's
tribal belt which killed over 15 people recently.

Under the "well defined" rules of engagement with the
coalition forces, the right to conduct operations against
militants within Pakistan is solely the responsibility of the
country's armed forces, he said.

No "external force is allowed to conduct operations
inside Pakistan" and the country's sovereignty and territorial
integrity would be defended "at all cost, Kayani said and
cautioned that strikes by foreign forces could "further fuel"
the militancy in the country.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday endorsed
Kayani's stance, saying it reflected the government's policy.
He said his government had the same views as the army chief on
defending the country's sovereignty and integrity.

Kayani also said that, during his meeting with top U.S.
military officers aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham
Lincoln on August 27, he had stressed that "military action
alone cannot solve the problem" of militancy in Pakistan's
northwest and tribal areas.

"Political reconciliatory effort was required to go along
with the military prong to win the hearts and minds of the
people," Kayani said.

Regretting the killing of civilians in the cross-border
raids by coalition forces, he said: "Such reckless actions
only help the militants and further fuel the militancy in the
area."

Kayani "reiterated the need for a collaborative approach
for better understanding of a highly complex issue". He said
"trust-deficit and misunderstandings can lead to more
complications and increase the difficulties for all".

The Pakistan Army has conducted successful operations
against militants in the past and "is committed to eliminate
them" from the Federally Administered Tribal Area and Swat
valley in North West Frontier Province, he said.

"Our security forces have given huge sacrifices in this
war and it is the presence of the army which has denied the
freedom of movement and operation to al-Qaeda and (their)
affiliates," he said, adding the support of the people of
Pakistan would be decisive.

Pakistan's national interest would always guide the
country's policy, Kayani said.

He said he had informed US officials about the
"complexity of the issue that requires understanding in depth
and more patience for evolving comprehensive solution".

During his discussions with them, the "imperative of
public support at large for the military operations also came
under focus", he said.

The U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral
Mike Mullen, acknowledged the "better understanding of ground
realities" by Kayani and remarked, "he is committed to doing
what is best for Pakistan and he is going to stay the same",
the statement said.