World | Pakistan
Army chief warns US to stay out
Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has strongly warned against any incursions into Pakistani territory, following last week's cross-border ground assault by Afghanistan-based US commandos that killed 20 civilians.
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 00:30 September 12, 2008
Islamabad: Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has strongly warned against any incursions into Pakistani territory, following last week's cross-border ground assault by Afghanistan-based US commandos that killed 20 civilians.
"The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all cost," he vowed in a statement overnight.
Kayani's warning coincided with remarks by US chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen about a new "comprehensive strategy" to combat Taliban and Al Qaida in the region.
The Pakistani army chief said, "there is no question of any agreement or understanding with the Coalition Forces whereby they are allowed to conduct operations on our side of the border."
Within the well-defined rules of engagement with the Coalition Forces, the right to conduct operations against the militants inside own territory "is solely the responsibility of the respective armed forces," he said.
Regretting the killing of innocent civilians in the September 4 cross-border raid by the coalition forces, Kayani said "such reckless actions only help the militants and further fuel the militancy in the area."
Talking to reporters Thursday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said said the army chief's statement reflected the government's policy.
Gilani said the government had the same views as the army chief on defending the country's sovereignty and integrity.
The prime minister said the nation should not get upset by the statements of Admiral Mullen. The government, he asserted, would take all steps to defend the country's borders.
Difficult task
Amid widespread anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, the new elected government faces a difficult task to assuage domestic anger over the strikes, mostly by US drones, against targets inside Pakistani territory.
President Asif Ali Zardari was confronted with tough questions over the incursions after his inauguration on Tuesday.
The army chief, in his lengthy statement, referred to his meeting with US senior officers on August 27. Kayani said he had informed them about "the complexity of the issue that requires understanding in depth and more patience for evolving comprehensive solution."
"It was stressed that in such situations, military action alone cannot solve the problem and political reconciliatory effort was required to go along with the military prong to win hearts and minds of the people," he said.
The army chief noted that afterwards Mullen acknowledged the better understanding of ground realities and stated that the army chief "is committed to doing what is best for Pakistan and he is going to stay the same".
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