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Pakistan rejects US report on militancy

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, April 7, IRNA -- Pakistan’s army has rejected a US report that Pakistan is avoiding direct conflict with the militants in the tribal areas and that Pakistan still has no 'clear path' to defeat militants on its soil.

A new White House report also said on Wednesday that in spite of 'tremendous human sacrifices' made by Pakistani security forces and increased military co-operation between Pakistan and US in the last three months, the fight against militancy was making little progress.

An army official, requesting not to be identified, said that Pakistan security forces have carried out ‘effective operations’ against the militants in tribal regions and Swat valley.

The White House report cited the example of an operation to clear insurgents from Mohmand and Bajaur tribal agencies that began in January - the third time in two years - and has been hobbled by resistance from the militants, bad weather and the need to settle internally displaced people.

'What remains vexing is the lack of any indication of 'hold' and 'build' planning or staging efforts to complement ongoing clearing operations,' the report said.

'As such there remains no clear path to defeating the insurgency in Pakistan, despite the unprecedented and sustained deployment of over 147,000 forces.'

The White House report says that Pakistan and Afghanistan needed to co-operate more to destroy insurgent havens on both sides of the border.

The US has long expressed frustration about Pakistan's reluctance to take on militants in the tribal areas.

In a report in October, the White House accused the Pakistani military of continuing to avoid military engagements that would put it in direct conflict with Afghan Taliban or al-Qaeda forces in North Waziristan. Pakistan says it will decide timings for any offensive in North Waziristan. it also insists that the security forces are also engaged in other areas and can not afford another offensive.

**1424
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30327301