Pakistan's Senate Foreign Relations Committee Saturday took serious notice of U.S. threats to launch strikes inside Pakistan's territory and warned any unilateral military action initiated by the U.S. will be unacceptable.
Strongly condemning any talk of incursions into Pakistan's territory by outside forces, the Senate Committee said that such statements emanating out of Washington were "irresponsible" and in case any such attack Pakistan should withdraw its support to U.S. in the war against terror.
In a unanimously adopted resolution, the Committee said Pakistan should not be blamed for the failings and weaknesses of NATO and the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, according to Pakistan's state-run wire service Associated Press of Pakistan.
Surging western reports quoted intelligence sources as saying that al-Qaeda are regrouping in northwestern Pakistan's tribal areas where according to some U.S. officials have turned out to be safe haven for militants.
Pakistani officials have categorically rejected the claims and said if Washington have got accurate and actionable information they should provide it to Pakistan who will then take necessary measures.
The Committee also said that as an ally of the international community in the campaign against terrorism, Pakistan had gone the extra mile, sacrificing nearly 900 of its soldiers and officers in the northwest frontier as well as deploying 85,000 troops in that area.
It said that any unilateral action by the U.S. inside Pakistani territory will certainly undermine Pakistan's ability to cooperate in the campaign against terrorism.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, talking to newsmen on Friday in Islamabad before his departure on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and UAE, firmly rejected threats of U.S. strikes inside Pakistan.
He said Pakistan is fully capable of operating against terrorists and needs no outside assistance in this regard.
The president said it was not correct to allege that Al-Qaeda was re-grouping in tribal areas and the region was a safe haven for them.
"A small number of Al-Qaeda elements present in the area are on the run and we are pursuing them," APP quoted Musharraf as saying.
"We are fighting extremism and terrorism in our national interest and we do not have to please anyone," said the president.
Regarding war against terrorism, Musharraf said, "we don't need to prove anything to anyone," he said, adding that it (terrorism) is a common threat and there is need for further coordination and intelligence sharing in the region.
Source: Xinhua
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