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Pakistan army says will reduce US soldiers strength

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, May 5, IRNA -- Pakistan's top military commanders Thursday admitted own shortcomings in developing intelligence on the presence of Bin Laden in Pakistan and ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to US raid on a compound to kill the al-Qaeda leader.

The Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani speaking at a conference made it very clear that any similar action, violating the sovereignty of Pakistan, will warrant a review on the level of military / intelligence cooperation with the United States, an army statement said.

The Corps Commanders were informed about the decision to reduce the strength of US military personnel in Pakistan to the minimum essential, the statement said.

'As regards the possibility of similar hostile action against our strategic assets, the Forum reaffirmed that, unlike an undefended civilian compound, our strategic assets are well protected and an elaborate defensive mechanism is in place,' it said.

'The Forum, taking serious note of the assertions made by Indian military leadership about conducting similar operations, made it very clear that any misadventure of this kind will be responded to very strongly. There should be no doubt about it.'

The conference reiterated the resolve to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan and to fight the menace of terrorism, with the support and help of the people of Pakistan, the statement said.

The conference highlighted that the achievements of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) against al-Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates in Pakistan have no parallel.

The statement said that one point agenda was the Abbotabad incident in which Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces. The Forum discussed the incident and its implications and on military to military relations with the United States, it added.

The conference was informed that around 100 top level al-Qaeda leaders / operators were killed / arrested by ISI, with or without support of CIA. 'However, in the case of Osama bin Laden, while the CIA developed intelligence based on initial information provided by ISI, it did not share further development of intelligence on the case with ISI, contrary to the existing practice between the two services.'

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30373326