US drone attacks affect Islamabad's credibility

Lahore: How deeply is the US engaged in Pakistan and how honest is the the government in its protests over US drone attacks on its territory?

This question is certain to crop up across the country after a senior US lawmaker said on Thursday that unmanned aircraft conducting bombing raids within Pakistan were using bases in the country.

Though rumours of the presence of US forces within Pakistan at some level have continued for years, there has never been an official acknowledgement of this.

As such the words of Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, are embarrassing for the Pakistan government. Feinstein's office has said she was basing her remarks only on media reports.

There had been many reports of presence of unmanned US aircraft at bases near Islamabad. It is believed that the Pakistan Peoples Party government, like its predecessor led by President Pervez Musharraf, has an agreement with Washington to allow these planes to bomb targets in tribal areas where a battle continues against militants, even while making vocal claims that these raids are conducted without its consent.

Anecdotal evidence also speaks of a large number of US agents being present in the country.

The question is how this affects the battle on terror. Recently, the Pakistani government was embarrassed by remarks from ministers in Warsaw that some elements within it could not be trusted when it came to dealing with militants. The Polish government was reacting to news that an engineer from that country, kidnapped from the northern Punjab late last year, had been beheaded by militants. The admission by the Pakistan interior adviser that the Mumbai attacks of November 2008 were "partially planned" from Pakistan also highlights the gravity of the country's embroilment with terrorist elements.

But many believe the involvement of the US is complicating this battle. "Each time a drone drops bombs and kills civilians in Waziristan, anti-US feelings rise and more are ready to join the militants," says engineer Fareed Baig. He admits that though he strongly opposes religious extremism, "I just want the Americans out of here."

Political leaders such as Imran Khan of the Pakistan Justice Party, have also voiced similar sentiments, demanding a complete US withdrawal from the region.

This is unlikely to happen any time soon.

But the new revelations about US bases inside Pakistan will add to the controversy, building more pressure on the government.