Pakistan to fight terrorism using its 'own resources'

Islamabad: The Pakistan army said Tuesday it would carry on the fight against terrorism using "our own resources" in the wake of suspension of military aid worth $800 million by the United States.

A statement issued after the 140th Corps Commanders' Conference said, "The Forum reiterated the resolve to fight the menace of terrorism in our own national interest using our own resources." It however made no direct reference to the US decision.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani chaired the conference held at the General Headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near here.

The participants were briefed in detail about the security situation in the country in general and ongoing operations against militants in the tribal areas of Kurram and Mohmand in particular, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The army chief in his opening remarks appreciated the conduct of the ongoing operations. Referring to Mohmand Agency, he instructed that all efforts must be utilized in coordination with civil administration for safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

General Kayani said the aim of operation in Kurram Agency was to clear the area of "miscreants involved in terrorism, kidnapping, killing of locals and blocking of road connecting lower with upper Kurram." He lauded the support of locals in flushing out terrorists from their area.

The UN refugee agency has said it was boosting its aid operation for people fleeing fighting in Kurram region.

A spokesman for the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reportedly said in Geneva that soe 84,000 people were believed to have fled their homes in Kurram.

Pakistani media reported that dozens of militants had been killed in the army operations over the past five days and the security forces backed by tanks and helicopter gunships had strengthened their positions in the mountains region.